The second Test did not quite go according to plan for Pakistan, with Sri Lanka's fast bowlers coming to the fore to fire the visitors to a convincing victory in Dubai.
Where to Watch Live
The game is scheduled for an 11.30 am IST and 11 pm PST start with live coverage on Sony Six and Geo Super in India and Pakistan respectively. While there is no official live streaming option in India, viewers in Pakistan can catch all the action via free live streaming HERE. Live stream the match in Sri Lanka for free HERE. Viewers in the US can watch the action live online HERE, while Africa viewers can do the same HERE.
Starting Thursday, Pakistan will look for a reversal of fortunes, along with a bit of spin, when they host Sri Lanka in the 3rd and final Test in Sharjah.
Pakistan skipper was left with plenty to ponder after seeing his side suffer a big nine-wicket loss, with that nice advantage that they seemed to have created for themselves in the first Test now looking like a distant dream.
Misbah knows his side's bowling and batting needs to improve if Pakistan stand any chance of levelling the series. "It's a do or die situation for us," Misbah said on Wednesday. "We have to put some effort and get the result we want to level the series and there is no other option for us. We really need to be proactive and really need to put a good show."
The pitch looked a little slow and dry at first glance, and after the designated home side vented their frustrations at not being given enough of an advantage with the wickets, Misbah is upbeat about the Sharjah Test, expecting Saeed Ajmal, Pakistan's best bowler, to come into play.
"In my opinion this looks a good pitch and I think you get spin on the pitches here and the team which plays better and shows patience will have more chance," Misbah, whose Pakistan side have won two of their three Tests at the venue, added.
"We get some strange results here but you really need to apply yourself more effectively and play better disciplined cricket. Whatever we need to do in terms of strategies and in terms of our abilities, we have to apply hard."
Angelo Mathews could not be happier with the way Sri Lanka have performed this series, first, digging themselves out of trouble rather swimmingly in the first Test, before taking advantage of some seriously seaming conditions in the second to put Pakistan on the mat.
The Lankan skipper, though, expects a different environment for the third Test in Sharjah, with the fast bowlers not expected to influence the match as much.
"It's not going to be anywhere close to what we had in Abu Dhabi and Dubai," Mathews said. "It looks like the main factors will be spin and some reverse swing.
"Yesterday when we came to the ground, they showed us the pitch we were going to play on, but in the evening we were told that another surface would be used. In the end, I think we are playing on the surface that was originally prepared. This pitch doesn't look like it will help fast bowlers much."
Team news: Pakistan: Fast bowler Bilawal Bhatti is unlikely to play after injuring his hamstring during training, and Misbah might give Abdur Rehman a chance with the pitch expected to turn.
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene is expected to play despite splitting his webbing in the second Test. Mathews and co. will need to make a decision on whether to drop a fast bowler in place of a spinner due to the expected nature of the pitch.
Expected lineups: Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Asad Shafiq, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Talha, Junaid Khan, Abdur Rehman.
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunarathne, Kaushal Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (capt), Prasanna Jayawardene, Dilruwan Perera, Shaminda Eranga, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal.
