PAK vs SL, 2nd ODI Preview: Pakistan Awaits 'Return Of Cricket' Amid Rain Threat

Favourites' Pakistan will lock horns against Sri Lanka in front of their home crowd at the National Stadium, Karachi

While Pakistan looks forward to resumption of cricket on home soil, nonseasonal rains continue to have the last laugh. The first game of the 3-match ODI series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was set to script history as it would have been the first ODI game in over a decade at Karachi but got washed out without a ball being bowled, due to heavy downpour. The second ODI, which was originally scheduled to be played on Sunday, will now take place today after incessant rains prompted PCB to re-schedule the game. 'Favourites' Pakistan will lock horns against Sri Lanka in front of their home crowd at the National Stadium, Karachi. RAIN UPDATE: According to weather reports, there's a 10% chance of rain today. Hence, a match between the two teams of some sort is possible. It's not only the Pakistani players who will be tested against the Lankan Lions. The home series is a big assignment for newly-appointed coach Misbah-Ul-Haq and skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, who have immense pressure on them to give local fans a winning start in the bilateral series. Pakistan Cricket Board has insisted their faith on the duo to improve the standard of cricket and shape the national squad for a better future. Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan consists of three ODIs in Karachi that will be followed by three T20Is in Lahore. The tour was in jeopardy after Sri Lankan Prime Minister's Office had received warning of a terror attack on visitors. However, Sri Lanka still agreed to tour amid security threats only after PCB assured that the Lankan players would get same level of security from Pakistan, afforded to visiting heads of state. During a presser, Sri Lanka skipper Lahiru Thirimanne hailed the security set-up around the team's hotel and is confident that cricket would be in focus. "The security has been really first-class" "We didn't have any problems. The facilities here are really good. Actually we are not allowed to go out from the hotel, so we did some get together and played some FIFA games and carrom." Squads: Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Sarfaraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Shinwari, Iftikhar Ahmed, Abid Ali Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne(c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama(w), Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Minod Bhanuka, Lahiru Kumara