The world champions, who disappointed fans when they lost to New Zealand in Thursday's opening clash, are enjoying great confidence as they seek their second successive title at the Sharjah Stadium, where before October 1995, they did not enjoy much success.
The Sri Lankans, with one win from two games, will want to gain two more points when they take on Pakistan in Monday's second round match, while the latter, smarting after one of their worst hidings in Sharjah, will be out for revenge.
On the eve of Friday's clash, Pakistani skipper Wasim Akram predicted that they can beat Sri Lanka, following their recent success over the world champions. ``We are bowling and fielding well by the grace of God. The team has been working hard and definitely we are very confident against Sri Lanka,'' said a supremely confident Akram who went on to bowl superbly on Friday, taking 4 for 42.
However, Akram's sporting challenge to Sri Lanka ``let the best team win'' came back to haunt him on Friday as the popular islanders routed them in a mere 36 overs.
Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, as usual calm and collected even after Thursday's defeat, shrugged off the loss as one of those things and it was proved when his team of world beaters bounced back the next day to send their vast army of admirers into ecstasy.
Ranatunga, who has also won more friends here by his modesty in both victory and defeat, however has one problem on his mind as he goes into the second round, that of the injured off spinner Kumar Dharmasena.
Dharmasena, one of the great triers in the side, ran several metres from deep mid on to create a wonderful catch for the alert Roshan Mahanama but damaged his shoulder in the process and left Sri Lanka short of a specialist bowler. Thanks to the professional attitude of the team Dharmasena's absence was covered, proving the depth of the side. The Management are to decide Saturday whether to send for an replacement from Sri Lanka for the remainder of the competition. Dharmasena, with his never say die attitude, is one player the Lankans can't afford to lose.
Lankans celebrated Friday's victory at a dinner reception hosted by the expatriate Sri Lankans at the plush Royal Abjar Hotel. Saliya Senanayake, the former Anandian cricketer, who is the Board of Control for Cricket representative in the UAE, was among the organisers of the function which was the first official reception for the Sri Lankan team in the UAE after their World Cup triumph.
While the Lankans are the most sought after side in this Gulf emirate, the young New Zealanders are the revelation of the tournament. They have made the Singer Champions Trophy an open contest with their agile and determined fielding giving them an edge.
In Sunday's game against Pakistan, New Zealand have the chance of confirming their emergence on the international scene though knowing the Pakistanis, it will be difficult to see an easy game for either side.
Sanath Jayasuriya is undoubtedly one of the most popular cricketers in the UAE and thousands of fans, including those from other nationalities, are enjoying seeing this dynamo in action.
In fact, Jayasuriya says that Sri Lanka can win the title after Friday's sensational victory but the tournament is not yet over by a long shot.
However, due to a little grass on the pitch - unlike in previous Sharjah tournaments - the batsmen have been finding it difficult to play their shots and together with the slow outfield, have made run making more difficult. That is why scores of 206 have proved unreachable so far, though local cricketers say that the pitch, while having some dew in the mornings, tend to play much easier in the afternoon.
For New Zealand and Pakistan, the Singer Champions Trophy is one part of their target here since beating the world champions gives them added prestige.
Sri Lankan fans turned up in their thousands on Friday to give the Sharjah Stadium one of its biggest crowds outside an IndiaPakistan match and they are also booking their tickets for next Friday when the final will be held. Like one of the placards at the stadium says ``Win or lose, we booze''.
For the national side, however, there is no case of taking such a relaxed attitude and coach Davenall Whatmore, manager Duleep Mendis and Ranatunga will ensure that the players maintain their single mindedness when it comes to playing until after the final.
Sharjah cricket supremo assures Rs. 1 million to Sri Lanka
Sharjah cricket supremo Abdul Rehman Bukhatir has promised to match the one million rupees that the UAE-based Sri Lankan expatriates are collecting for Sri Lanka's cricket development.
Bukhatir's representative made this grand pledge at Friday night's fund-raiser at Royal Abjar Hotel to rounds of applause from the large crowd who had come to honour the Lankan team.
The aim of the UAE expatriates is to raise one million rupees for Sri Lanka's cricket development with the seeds being sown last year during the October Champions Trophy when former board president Ana Punchihewa was present.
The function was attended by several local dignitaries including Ambassador Al Haj Mohammed Samsudeen, who has also been present at both Sri Lankan matches so far. Tickets to the function were priced at Dh 125 per head (nearly Rs. 2,000).
Sri Lankans in the UAE have faithfully backed their team throughout the years even when they did not fare well in Sharjah and most of the team members have friends and relations in the country. There are around 100,000 Sri Lankans living in the UAE with the Lankan cricketers being eagerly watched by hundreds of adoring female compatriots who all want to see their favourite 'aiyas'. Some of them even gate crashed the press box at the Sharjah Stadium to catch a glimpse of their idols before being sent back by the sympathetic security men.
Bukhatir is the pioneer of cricket in the desert and has been a keen backer of Sri Lanka since the early 80s along with the other Cricketers Benefit Fund Series including Qasim Noorani, Asif Iqbal and Ali Anwar.
Meanwhile, there is good news about Kumar Dharmasena. Manager Duleep Mendis told the Sunday Observer that Dharmasena's right shoulder injury is into as bad as earlier feared and that he could be playing in Tuesday's last league match against Pakistan.
''Kumar's right shoulder is not as seriously hurt as we originally thought. He will not play in Monday's game but we are hoping that he will be fit for Tuesday's match,'' said Mendis, who said that Thursday's loss had galvanised the team to do better on Friday. ''We treated the game against Pakistan as very important after Thursday's defeat,'' added Mendis. ??