Date:28/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/28/stories/2008122856921500.htm

Sport - Cricket

Malik welcomes Lanka’s decision

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, on Saturday, welcomed the confirmation of Sri Lanka’s tour here next month.

“We have not played much international cricket this year. But we are still looking forward to doing well against Sri Lanka,” Malik said. He said it would be an engrossing series with the Pakistan batsmen gearing up to tackle Sri Lanka’s spin duo — Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis. “Mendis has been very impressive and has formed a formidable pair with Muralitharan. They had troubled the Indian batsmen at home. So we know what we are going to be up against and we will prepare accordingly,” he said.

Meanwhile, Javed Miandad, the PCB’s director-general of cricket, said Sri Lanka had formally conveyed to the board that it would be sending the team from January 20 to play three Test matches and five ODIs. — Agencies