Pakistan in Sri Lanka T20 and ODI Cricket Series 2012

Sri Lanka and Pakistan will test each other's strength ahead of the World T20 match later this year when they clash in a 2-match series starting on (01-06-12) Friday.

The Twenty20 Match in southern Hambantota on Friday and Sunday are a prelude to the 4th edition of the world event that will be played in Sri Lanka in September-October.

With the World T20 coming up in a few months, this series against Pakistan is very important for us,Sri Lanka's veteran skipper Mahela Jayawardene said on Thursday.

We're using these 2 games to find the right combination so we will mix and match. We need to make a report in this series.

The absence of Pakistani players from the Indian Premier League could give Sri Lanka the initial benefit at the start of the tour that also includes 5 ODI and 3 Test matches.

Several Sri Lankan stars like Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga played in the cash-rich Twenty20 event in India that ended last Sunday.

But the Pakistanis, who win the World Twenty20 name in England in 2009, have been kept out of the IPL after the initial edition in 2008 reportedly over safety fears.

Pakistan in Sri Lanka T20 Series

No	Date& Time	Match	Place
1	01-Jun-12	Sri vs Pak	Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota
2	03-Jun-12	Sri vs Pak	Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota

Sri vs Pak ODI Series

No	Date	Team	Place
1	07-Jun-12	Sri vs Pak	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
2	09-Jun-12	Sri vs Pak	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
3	13-Jun-12	Sri vs Pak	Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
4	16-Jun-12	Sri vs Pak	Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
5	18-Jun-12	Sri vs Pak	Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Sri Lanka to Australia's weakness in bowling department

Sydney: Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayewardene has claimed Australia's bowling attack is their weakness, and his team would look to expose it in Friday's one-day international at the WACA.

He said if his team plays neatly, then they could easily expose Australia's weakened bowling attack, which is now without a few of its cutting edge bowlers who are out with injury. Ace fast bowler Brett Lee is out injured due to a broken foot, while the exciting young duo of Pat Cummins and James Pattinson are still trying to make a comeback from injuries.

Jayewardene believe Sri Lanka needs to win the decisive battles during their match against Australia. Ryan Harris, Clint McKay, Xavier Daugherty and Mitchell Starc constitute Australia's pace attack against India in the first ODI international match, which they contentedly won. Harris has endured an injury-hit summer while Starc and McKay are yet to establish themselves as regulars in the national set-up.

Now Jayewardene feels his batting line-up has a good chance to get on top. Harris is a decent bowler but they're still missing quite a few cutting edge guys. That's an area we can aim," The Herald Sun quote Jayewardene, as saying. Meanwhile, swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus was draft into the squad cover for Lee, but Arthur said he was almost confident to stick with the same bowling attack that perform so well against India last week.