Mohammad Hafeez and Dinesh Chandimal discuss the Pakistan v Sri Lanka T20

Pakistani spinner Mohammad Hafeez (L) and captain Misbah ul-Haq celebrate after the dismissal of Australian captain Michael Clarke during the first One Day International cricket match between PakistanShow more

We've already covered in this space what an interesting series this promises to be.

But before Pakistan and Sri Lanka get going in about two and a half hours, take a minute to read Osman Samiuddin's piece from today's paper on how Pakistan's propensity for producing pace (alliteration intended) seemingly just as quickly turns out a long line of washed-out bowlers.

Osman writes:

"A bowler is found, bowler arrives, bowler buoyant, bowler lost. Take a glance through the roster of the fast bowlers who have played for Pakistan since the beginning of 2003, a list of 32 players that excludes the two W’s, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, who were almost finished by then."

He notes, as well, that the latest might be 19 year old Pakistan bowling prodigy Usman Khan Shinwari, of whom Misbah-ul-Haq said, "Shinwari bowled very well in the [Pakistani domestic] Twenty20 final and was nearly unplayable."

And then take a listen to interviews with Mohammad Hafeez and Dinesh Chandimal to get a feel for the mindset of each side before they take to the wicket.