One of the most exciting rivalries in world cricket will be on display again this week when touring side Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in their own backyard on Wednesday.
In the sub-continent, cricket is beyond being just a sport.
It is a religion and there is immense pressure of players to perform when they take on a sub-continental rival.
While Sri Lanka will go in to the series with mixed emotions from their last two series against England and South Africa, which they won and lost respectively, Pakistan will want to get some good performances away from the flat tracks of Sharjah.
Sport360 brings to you five players who could be the stars of the two-match Test series.
Saeed Ajmal (pictured above)
If there is one player who loves playing cricket on the sub continent, it is Ajmal. The 36-year-old spinner has spun the ball in every condition thrown at him and has single-handedly won Pakistan many a match. When the two teams square off in white, he will hold the key to Pakistan’s chances.
Rangana Herath
The wily spinner has been in the form of his life in recent months. He steered Sri Lanka to a famous series win in England and almost helped Sri Lanka draw the series against South Africa. The batsmen have found him hard to pick and he has made the most of it. Added to that will be the home advantage and, when the series kicks off, he will be engaged in a battle within the war against Saeed Ajmal for bragging rights as the top spinner.
Mahela Jayawardene
With over 11,000 runs in Tests, Mahela Jayawardene would want to end his glorious career on a high against a top class Pakistan side. The Lankan legend announced recently that the two-match series against Pakistan will be his last. Known for his aggressive and competitive attitude, he will want to round up his career with a series win and Pakistan will do everything in their stride to stop that from happening.
Misbah-Ul-Haq
Often referred to as the captain of the sinking ship in the past, the 40-year-old seems to have finally found a way to save his side. He has been an inspiration for the entire team and has stood up whenever the team needed him. He will play the role of an anchor once again against Sri Lanka as he is the thread that holds the pearls in the side together. Though he is a selfless player, a ton is long overdue and he would want to end that drought against Sri Lanka.
Angelo Mahtews
The Sri Lankan skipper has been hitting the right notes off late and has won many accolades for that from the very top of the world's cricketing circles. He has played crucial knocks which often go unnoticed and has been smart with his bowling changes, most of all, he has led his side from the front. Despite a 1-0 home loss to South Africa, he has managed to keep things together for his side and it will be interesting to see how he bounced back from the series loss.
