Misbah-ul-Haq says ODI and T20I series is "50-50"
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq believes the One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Sri Lanka that starts on Friday at Dubai Sports City (DSC) is too close to call.
"I think it's a 50-50 game," said Misbah. "They are a good side but we reached the semi-final of the World Cup and played really well there.
"They are a tough side, especially in these types of conditions and especially in Twenty20 and ODIs and so we know we're going to face a really good competition.
"But we are focused for this new ball game that's different from Test cricket and we are ready for that. We're playing really good one-day cricket over the past six or seven months or even the last year, so I think it's a good competition and we're looking forward to it."
That competition begins this Friday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at DSC, which hosts the first three matches on 11, 14 and 18 November.
All the matches start at 3pm and the first and third of them take place on Fridays. The series then concludes with matches in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
Misbah said the inclusion of star all-rounder Shahid Afridi, after he reversed his previous decision to retire from international cricket, was a real plus for Pakistan.
"He's a very good all-rounder, he's performed wherever he's played and he's really a threat to opposition teams, especially in conditions like Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah," he said.
"So I think as a senior player and as a performer (Afridi's inclusion) is a good boost for the team."
Tillakaratne Dilshan is positive Sri Lanka has got what it takes to win the series despite its 1-0 Test series loss, and he believes quality reinforcements in the bowling department tip the balance the way of his side.
"We've got a different team, especially in the bowling unit, with lots of experience of Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando," he said.
"These guys are really experienced as they've been playing for Sri Lanka for the last 10 years in one-day cricket.
"We've had a good, decent one-day team for the last few years and we've played good one-day cricket, especially in the last series back home against Australia (which Australia, the top-ranked ODI side, won 3-2).
"I'm really happy with the bowling unit and, with the batting unit, if (Kumar) Sangakkara can carry his form into the one-day series then we have a better chance to win the one-day series (than we had to win the Tests)," he added.
Tickets for the matches in Dubai start from just AED25 and are available by ?phone and online from Box Office ME, Time Out Dubai and the Ticketing Co., as well as numerous outlets in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, with details available at http://www.dubaisportscity.ae/articledisplay.asp?id=78
Provision has been made for Jumma Prayers at 1220, very close to the stadium, and there will be signs directing people to the area where they will take place.