Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI Karachi (D/N) Preview & Highlights

Sri Lankan spin magicians Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis loom as major threats for Pakistan in their three-match one-day series which opens in Karachi on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old Muralitharan will have the extra motivation of overhauling the tally of one-day wickets, currently held by Pakistan's Wasim Akram with 502. The wily off-spinner needs just nine wickets to become the highest wicket-taker in both forms of the game.

But the unorthodox Mendis holds more challenges for the home team who have faced him only once in last year's Asia Cup in which Mendis took four wickets.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said his team were geared up to counter the twin-spin threat. "We have devised our plans how to tackle Mendis. I can't tell you the details as it's not for public consumption," said Intikhab, himself a former leg-spinner of repute.