Pak cruising well, despite losing wickets

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World Cup’s mix-up melodrama continues. Began at the India-Bangla opener, the latest episode took place here at Premadasa Stadium on Saturday and the stars were Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez, with the later going under the axe.

Bowling changes have worked for Kumar Sangakkara, he brought in Muttiah Muralitharan and that broke the Akmal-Hafeez partnership by sending back Hafeez. Sanga brought in Rangana Herath and he cracked the hard to break Kamran Akmal, who was at 39.

Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan has built a wall to avoid wicket exodus and Pakistan look heading for a defendable total here but another wicket fall could damage the 1992 Cup winners’ ship irrecoverably.

The Lankan ‘eye-poping’ spin forced Pakistan to go defensive. May be its time for Pak coach Waqar Younis to go for a referral of his comment about the spin wizard Muralitharan. "In the past, if Muralitharan had plans for us, we have played really well against him in this country,” he said going into the big match. But it seems like Murali’s plans and Sanga’s plans with him are working here for the Lankans.

Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat in their crucial World Cup Group A match against co-hosts Sri Lanka.

Pakistan kept the same line-up that defeated Kenya by 205 runs at Hambantota on Wednesday.

Chamara Kapugedera and Ajantha Mendis made way for Chamara Silva and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (C), Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Ahmed Shahzad.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (C), Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Thissara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath.