Daijiworld Media Network

Colombo, Jun 18 :  Hello, and a warm welcome to one and all for the 5th and final ODI from the Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

Sri Lanka pulled off an incredible heist on Saturday to go 2-1 up in the 5 match series. Thissara Perera was the star of the show picking up a hat-trick to derail Pakistan who snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and now have the tough task of pulling themselves back in less than 48 hours for the final encounter. Will they show some spine or will it be Sri Lanka all the way?

Pitch report: Russel Arnold reckons it's a 240-250 wicket.

Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat

Misbah: We have rested Younis Khan because of his form.Sami is in while we have rested Saeed Ajmal also. Every game is important for us. This game is like a final for us.

Mahela: It's a good opportunity to challenge ourselves. We are looking forward to chasing. Any captain's dream is to have a couple of guys who can get you wickets and create pressure ( When asked about Malinga). We are bringing in Jeevan Mendis in place of Sajeewa Weerakoon.

There were some showers in Colombo early in the morning but it has seemed to have abated for the moment. The forecast is not all that encouraging though. One hopes that we will get some cricket to finish what has been an absorbing ODI series.

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene(c), Kumar Sangakkara(w), Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Thissara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Jeevan Mendis, Lasith Malinga

Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Imran Farhat, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed(w), Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami, Sohail Tanvir