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Message: <blockquote data-quote="chandikagunawardhana" data-source="post: 5306885" data-attributes="member: 11539">Pakistan search for winning formulaA series of lopsided fortunes is dead in terms of a contest. So what to do the teams play for?For Pakistan there is only pride to play for, a position which is becoming all-too-familiar for this team in recent times. In their previous ODI series, against Australia in the UAE, Pakistan managed a face-saving win in the dead match. Given their current predicament and lack of one-day direction, they cannot waste any opportunity to find some form.Just before the start of the ODI series there was talk of 'undesirable elements' lurking in the team hotel along with reports of factionalism and rifts in the team. The seniors players have consistently underperformed, adding to the pressure on captain Younis Khan. Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq were dropped after the first ODI, and Shoaib Malik has been a non-starter with scores of 9, 0 and 12.Each defeat has been followed by talk of the need to 'execute plans' and Younis rejecting claims of 'groupism'. These have almost become buzzwords for a side struggling to win all tour. Instead of offering excuses and denying rumours, what Pakistan need to do is get back to the basics: bowl straight, field sharply and not throw away wickets. At the Premadasa they have to forget what has gone before and start again.On the flip side, Sri Lanka can use the two games - and later the one-off Twenty20 - as a celebration of their most successful home series against Pakistan. Kumar Sangakkara's appointment as captain worked instant wonders for the team - they won the Tests and now three ODIs on the trot, their first home series wins over Pakistan. The last two games offer the chance to test their bench strength while aiming to avoid complacency as they chase a clean sweep and keep up the momentum ahead of New Zealand's arrival.</blockquote>

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