Pakistan banking on "momentum" to prevail over "strong side" Sri Lanka : Alam

London, June 12 (ANI): Pakistan is banking upon its senior players to start the super-eight stage of the ICC Twenty20 World Championship on a winning note.

Pakistan would take on Sri Lanka in the first game of the super-eight stage later this evening.

Coach Intikhab Alam is confident that players like Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and captain Younis Khan, who performed brilliantly in the game against The Netherlands, would continue from where they left off in the previous match.

"Sri Lanka is a very strong side there is no doubt about that. But we have finally gathered momentum with the game against the Netherlands which is why I'm confident we will do well," The News quoted Alam, as saying.

Alam admitted that Sri Lanka has two world class spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in their armoury who could spell doom for the Pakistan batting line up, but added Pakistan too has a mixture of youth and experience in the spin department with bowlers like Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi.

"Both teams have good spin bowlers are expected to make a major impact in tomorrow's game," he added.

Fitness could be major concern for Pakistan, as left-arm pacer Sohail Tanvir is suffering from a leg injury, and all rounder Yasir Arafat ruled out for the rest of the series.

Pakistan has summoned former ICL player Abdul Razzaq as a replacement for the injured Arafat, but it is unlikely that the experienced all-rounder would be available for the game against Sri Lanka.

Both the teams would be playing against each other for the first time after the brazen terrorist attack in Lahore in March, but Sri Lanka captain Kumara Sangakkara has made it clear that his team is focussed on the game, and is not thinking much about the horrific incident.

"No emotions before the game. Lahore was Lahore. We're here to play cricket," said Sangakkara.

He said spin would be the team's main weapon against Pakistan.

"Spin has been our strength for years. Hopefully our guys will keep performing and keep adding new strengths and win us games like in the past," Sangakkara added. (ANI)