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Watch Live Streaming of the 1st cricket test between Srilanka vs Pakistan which will begin at  Galle on July 4-8, 2009
Start time 10.00 (04.30 GMT)

This will be Kumar Sangakkara’s first Test series as captain.  Sri Lanka have already suffered a setback, with their lead spinner Muttiah Muralitharan missing the Test due to a knee injury. With Chaminda Vaas not included and Lasith Malinga unfit for Tests, their bowling could be a bit weak.

Sri Lanka have never won a Test series against Pakistan at home. In five meetings since 1986, Pakistan have claimed three series, including the previous meeting in 2006 which they won 1-0.
Formwise pakistan have not won a singele test in there last five encounters, drawing 4 and loosing one, whereas Srilanka have won 3 out of the last 5 tests.
Pakistan trounced Sri Lanka by a massive innings and 163 runs the last time they met in Galle. Pakistan piled on four centuries and Razzaq took a hat-trick.

Sri Lanka’s only victory in a Test at home against Pakistan came in March 1986

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Sri Lanka (likely) 1 Malinda Warnapura, 2 Tharanga Paranavitana, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 7 Angelo Mathews / Kaushal Silva, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Thilan Thushara, 10 Ajantha Mendis, 11 Rangana Herath

Pakistan (likely) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Khurram Manzoor, 3 Younis Khan (capt), 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq / Faisal Iqbal, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Kamran Akmal (wk), 8 Danish Kaneria / Saeed Ajmal, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Mohammad Aamer, 11 Abdur Rauf

Pitch and conditions

Preparations were hit by rain over the last few days but on the eve of the Test, the sun was out. The covers came off after a very long time and the outfield looks lush green.

Quotes

“The shots you play in limited-overs cricket has to change in Test cricket. You definitely have more scoring opportunities in Tests. For some reason or the other, the mindset of the batsmen changes in whites. Mental strength, physical fitness and temperament plays a big part in Test. The side that is good on these accounts will win.” Kumar Sangakkara on the transition from Twenry20 to Tests

“Rustiness is not an excuse in cricket. We hadn’t played much cricket, but we won the World Twenty20. India had played a lot of cricket, but they couldn’t even make it to the last four. When we played Test cricket for the first time in 13 months, our team scored 700 and I scored 300. So it all depends on how we play on the day.”
Younis Khan shrugs concerns of Pakistan being short of Test practice