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Home , Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan (cricketer), Sohail Tanvir

Friday 18th November, 2011 Injured thumb prevents Dilshan from training Dilshan happy faith on Dilhara has paid back very quick. We need a sharp guy like him. He complements Lasith well and I am really happy with his performance.” Dilshan said that the presence of dew here at the Dubai Sports City in the evening will come into the equation when draw up their strategy for Sri Lanka Tillakaratne Dilshan today’s third ODI. watches training yesterday ahead of the “There was heavy third ODI against at the Dubai dew during the last Sports City today. Dilshan hurt his left game and the thumb during the second ODI and didn’t bowlers were finding train yesterday. Pic by Lakruwan it difficult to grip Wanniarachchi. the ball. This is the third match we are series and everyone is looking forward playing on the same to play good ,” Dilshan added. Sri Lankan fast bowler Dilhara Fernando chats with coach Geoff Marsh during train- and there are For Pakistan, left-arm seamer Sohail ing at the Dubai Sports City yesterday. Pic by Lakruwan Wanniarachchi. various things to Tanvir is expected to replace all-round- consider and we will er . REX CLEMENTINE Since then, Fernando was part of take everything into reporting from Dubai Indians’ squad during the consideration.” Sri Lanka (From) Tillakaratne Champions League, but didn’t play a Dilshan hurt his left thumb while by the 40th over, then we can Dilshan (Captain), Upul Tharanga, Despite intense criticism back home single game despite the franchise being fielding during the second ODI and push on. We had got bogged down in the , Kumar Sangakkara (Wicketkeeper), Angelo on the surprise selection of Dilhara allowed five overseas players, due to skipped net sessions on Wednesday and middle overs the other day. We dis- Fernando for the five match ODI series injuries to several of their local players. cussed that sufficiently and we look to Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Thursday although he was present dur- Mendis, Kosala Kulasekara, Lasith against Pakistan here in the UAE, cap- rotating the strike often to come out of When he was selected to play against ing practices. He was expected to take a Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara tain Tillakaratne Dilshan says the Pakistan, the selectors argued that pain killer injection later on Thursday it. Upul has regained his confidence and Perera, , Dimuth inconsistent fast bowler is an important injuries to several other fast bowlers in order to be available for today’s third so has Mahela and I feel we are clicking Karunaratne, Dilhara Fernando and cog in the wheel. had prompted his recall. ODI. well and if we are able to score 240 or Suraj Randiv Fernando’s ability to earn recalls to In the second ODI against Pakistan, After suffering a humiliating defeat 250 it will be a good total,” Dilshan the national side despite not proving despite being expensive, Fernando in the first ODI, Sri Lanka did well to added. Pakistan (From) Misbah-ul-Haq himself in the domestic scene has been looked sharp and picked up the wickets bounce back in the second match. While A packed house is expected today as (Captain), , Muhammad a topic of much debate. His latest recall of captain Misbah-ul-Haq and top scorer the openers were steady in the second Friday is a holiday in the UAE. Today’s Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Younus Khan, came five months after he had limped . is the last game in Dubai and then the Umar Akmal, , Sarfraz game, after Pakistan’s spinners came Ahmed (Wicketkeper), , off the Rose Bowl during the third Test “There was lot of criticism when he teams will move to Sharjah and Abu onto the attack, run making was diffi- , , Aizaz against England with injury. The selec- was picked,” Dilshan said ahead of the cult and Sri Lanka had only reached 123 Dhabi for the remaining two ODIs. “It’s Cheema, , , tors at that point had said that third ODI against Pakistan. “But I kept for three by the 35th over. an important game for both teams. Abdul Razzaq and . Fernando will have to prove himself my faith on him. He has the experience “We discussed the issue during the Whoever wins here will be leading the before being re-considered for national and he can do the job for us. He bowled middle overs. If we do not lose too many series before going to Sharjah. Both duty. really well in the last ODI and he was sides have an opportunity to lead the

Dubai Sports City names Shakeel Ahmed as Dubai’s Biggest Fan! Pakistan supporter Shakeel Khan is a happy man after sending 630 SMSs to earn himself the title of Dubai’s Pakistan supporter Biggest Fan. Shakeel Khan poses Shakeel, for photos with the from two tickets he won for Islamabad in Pakistan, sent Friday’s third ODI the SMSs in between Sri Lanka response to and Pakistan. the challenge issued by Dubai Sports City urging fans to text either PAK or SL to show where their cricketing loyalties lay. His reward is two Premium Tickets, each valued at AED150, to Friday’s crunch third One-Day International (ODI) between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and a Dubai Sports City cap signed by the two captains, Misbah-ul-Haq and Tillakaratne Dilshan. Shakeel will receive the cap at a presen- tation to be made during the break between innings on Friday. Shakeel, a passionate Pakistan support- er who works in finance and lives in Deira, has been in the for the past seven years and was overjoyed at winning the prize. “I’m really very happy,” he said. “I was hoping for this, that I would get some sort of reward for my efforts and now I have I am very excited. “I have attended both (Pakistan – Sri Lanka ODI) games at Dubai Sports City and with the series level at 1-1, Friday is set up to be a wonderful match. “It is a wonderful stadium to watch cricket, everything is very good and I am really looking forward to attending the match. I hope Pakistan can win.” Dubai Sports City General Manager – Sports Business Maqbul Dudhia said: “Congratulations to Shakeel for becoming Dubai’s Biggest fan – he certainly deserves the title!