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Jayawardene will bring to an end a career that spanned for 17 long years, during which he became, the most capped Sri Lankan Test cricketer. Today’s Test will be his 149th. The 37-year-old accumulated 11,756 runs at an excellent average of 50 and his career best score of 374 is the highest individual score by a Sri Lankan.
Skipper Angelo Mathews, who debuted under Jayawardene admitted it’s going to be an emotional Test. "It’s going to be an emotional game for us. It is an emotional moment for everyone. We want to win it for him," Mathews told journalists.
"It will take a long time to replace Mahela because he’s the kind of player that comes
Asked which characteristic of Jayawardene he admired most, Mathews said, "So many things. He is a real fighter. If you go into a warm-up match with him, he’ll still try to fight and win. That’s the kind of character that he is, and he’s an unbelievable player. He gives so many options. He puts options on the table and he’s the most senior guy in the team, and we’re going to miss him so much. I think the younger guys, including me, have learned so much from him. Up to now he has supported me right throughout from day one, and I’m really thankful to him for that."
Mathews also denied suggetions that Sri Lanka had a hand in reporting Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal for a suspect bowling action after the Galle Test, which Sri Lanka won. "If there is anything that we could do, why do the umpires stand? And also the ICC? The opposition can’t do anything regarding any player being reported. If that was the case we played him six months ago and he should have been reported again. It has nothing to do with us. It’s just that the umpires have reported it and the ICC will take it up."
Injuries have opened up a few spots in the Sri Lankan line-up. Fast bowler Shaminda Eranga and middle-order batsman Kirthruwan Vithanage are nursing injuries. Kithruwan’s injury isn’t a serious one, but Eranga is replaced by Lahiru Gamage.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne also has been recalled to the squad and could replace Upul Tharanga.
Pakistan, meanwhile are likely to go in with an unchanged side. The tourists were on top of the Galle Test for the first two days and the game was snatched away from them on the last day.
"Every game is a new game regardless of what happened in the previous game so we are looking forward to win this one to level the series and spoil Mahela’s party," Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said.
Sri Lanka (From): Upul Tharanga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews (Captain), Kithuruwan Vithanage, Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Dilruwan Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Shaminda Eranga, Lahiru Gamage and Chanaka Welegedara
Pakistan (Probable XI): Khurram Manzoor, Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (Captain), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (Wicketkeeper), Abdur Rehman, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan.
by Rex Clementine
