Sri Lanka's consistency will be pitted against Pakistan's unpredictability when the continental rivals meet on Saturday for what promises to be the most intense battle of the World Cup so far. Emotions will run high in the Group A match featuring the two former champions as it was a 2009 gun attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore that eventually cost Pakistan the co-hosts' status of the ongoing World Cup. A consistent Sri Lanka look stronger on paper with a formidable batting lineup but form book will count for little when they take on a highly unpredictable Pakistan at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium.
Both sides have strong batting line-ups that have breached the 300-mark against associate teams in their respective tournament openers.
With the pace duo of Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir serving bans on corruption charges, Pakistan's pace attack has a depleted look and a lot would depend on how Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar perform.
Sri Lanka also continue to fret over pace bowler Lasith Malinga, who seemed to have recovered from a back strain but the team management do not want to rush him back into action.
"He is 100 percent fit to be selected," captain Kumar Sangakkara said in Colombo.
"There are not any injury worries. Lasith is improving but we don't want to rush him."
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