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Twenty20 might have turn out to be the origin of everything that is bad about cricket, but the international Twenty20 game has had roughly no role to play in that development. Consider these stats: we have had 32 Tests so far in 2011 and 139 ODIs - a number inflated by the World Cup, no doubt - but only a small 19 Twenty20 internationals. The next edition will be held in September 2012 in Sri Lanka, and teams will want to start sketch up plans now, after a year conquered by the World Cup and a clutch of marquee Test series.

Sri Lanka hasn’t looked like winning everything in the longer formats since the World Cup. Indeed, they have lost all their Test and ODI series since then. However, in that same period, they have been victorious in Twenty20s, and are in the middle of an inspiring sequence of five successive wins. They will be worried to extend that run and build momentum in the lead-up to the World Twenty at home, even as they seek succour from their reversals in the other formats.

Pakistan has always overcome in Twenty20s, a six-match losing run last year despite. They have won the World Twenty20 once, and made the final and the semi-finals on the other two occasions. Their fortunes next year will hinge on how the team responds to Misbah-ul-Haq's leadership. His safety-first method has been an clear success in the Test and ODI versions, but it remains to be seen whether it will work in Twenty20s.

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Skipper Misbah-ul Haq and Umar Akmal hit half centuries to help Pakistan upstage Sri Lanka by three wickets in the fifth and final day-night international at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Wednesday. Misbah hit an striking 66 while Akmal completed on an unbeaten 61 to help Pakistan made light work of the Sri Lankan total of 218/9 as they reached home in 47.2 overs to take the five-match series 4-1.The victory, which followed a 1-0 win in the three-Test series, lifted Pakistan to fifth in the International Cricket Council's one-day rankings.

Misbah added 62 for the third wicket with Younis Khan (34) after Pakistan lost openers Mohammad Hafeez (14) and Asad Shafiq (26) in a shaky start. Even when leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis detached Younis and Shoaib Malik both trapped leg-before off successive deliveries, Misbah and Akmal made sure Pakistan ended on the winning side. Misbah, who hit five fours during his 99-ball knock, found an able ally in Akmal, who helped his skipper add 84 for the fifth wicket before the Pakistan skipper miscued a reverse sweep off Mendis, who finished with 3-36.

Akmal, who hit eight boundaries during his fiery 60-ball knock, made sure Pakistan did not lose track by hitting the winning boundary."We batted poorly throughout the series and that's why we lost," said Dilshan, under whom Sri Lanka have lost three one-day series. "I am disappointed and we didn't do well in batting either." Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara scored 78 and Angelo Mathews made 61 during their innings-repairing fifth-wicket stand of 118 before Sri Lanka faltered, with only a late-order batting fightback helping them to a spirited total.

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All-rounder Shahid Afridi scored a half-century before taking five wickets to steer Pakistan to a hard fight 26-run win in the fourth day-night match over Sri Lanka at Sharjah stadium on Sunday. Afridi helped Pakistan recover from a struggling 120-7 to 200 all out with a 65-ball 75 before he derailed Sri Lanka by taking 5-35 to dismiss them for 174 in 45.2 overs, giving his team an unquestionable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. The victory leaves the fifth and final game at Abu Dhabi on Wednesday as unimportant. The sides will also play a Twenty20 international at Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara had set Sri Lanka on course for a comfortable win with a 102-run fourth wicket stand after Sri Lanka were struggling at 53-3 with Upul Tharanga (16) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (11) gone by the eighth over. With 46 needed for victory Sangakkara, who hit six boundaries during his 103-ball knock, was bowled by Afridi for 58 and Saeed Ajmal accounted for Angelo Mathews in the next over.

That triggered a collapse in which Sri Lanka lost their last seven wickets for 19 runs. It integrated all of Afridi's wickets in a sensational display of leg-spin bowling. The 31-year-old thus became the only man in one-day cricket to hit a half century and take five wickets in the same match on two occasions. Jayawardene, who made 55, fell in the 44th over which left Sri Lanka with no chance to get the win they were seeking.

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Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 21 runs in their third one-day international on Friday at the Dubai International Stadium to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Pakistan builds upon an opening stand of 151 between Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat to reach a total of 257-8 off its 50 overs. Hafeez cracked nine fours and a six in a top score of 83 off 101 balls, while left-hander Farhat struck six fours and a six in 70 off 82 deliveries. Sri Lanka was bowled out for 236 off 48.5 overs with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (3-42) and pacer Umar Gul (3-48) share their nerve at key moments.

Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan hit 64 and fellow expert Kumar Sangakkara contributed 45. Dilshan brought up his fifty off 62 balls but was soon involved in a mix-up with Sangakkara which changed the course of the match. Afridi soon provided the key scalp of Dilshan, who was unsuccessful to deflect a wide ball back onto his leg stump as he tried to sweep. Veteran Mahela Jayawardene became the ninth player to pass 10,000 runs in one-day cricket when he reached 13 and shared a restorative stand of 35 with Dinesh Chandimal.

But Ajmal's first strike was a crucial one, with Jayawardene stumped for 17 after slick work by wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed. Chandimal, contributed 31 off 47 deliveries before he also fell to Ajmal, slicing a catch to extra cover at 186-5 in the 40th over. Angelo Mathews held jointly the lower order but only Jeevan Mendis (19 off 15 balls) could supply any significant resistance. Mathews was left 32 not out after Gul returned to seal the victory for Pakistan with the wickets of Seekkuge Prasanna and Dilhara Fernando.

Earlier, Pakistan seemed set for a bigger total following Hafeez and Farhat's opening stand, only for Sri Lanka to hit back in the latter half of the innings through leg-spinner Prasanna (2-39) and pace ace Lasith Malinga (2-57). Younus Khan's 42 off 52 balls ensured the hosts would get to a competitive total.

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Upul Tharanga made 77 and fast bowler Lasith Malinga claimed three wickets on Monday to lead Sri Lanka to a 25-run win over Pakistan to level the ODI series at 1-1.

Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene (50) ensured Sri Lanka reached 235-7 in the second match. Pakistan spinners Saeed Ajmal ended with 3-61 and Shahid Afridi 2-35. Malinga took two wickets in his first over in capturing 3-31 as Pakistan was bowled out for 210 off 46.3 overs, with Umar Akmal (91) the only Pakistani batsman to score more than 30.

Pakistan's chase was quickly spoiled by the Malinga, who removed Mohammad Hafeez and Younis Khan by catches from wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara. Perera put Pakistan in further peril at 11-3 when he claimed Imran Farhat to a plumb lbw decision. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Akmal brought their side back into contention in a fourth-wicket stand of 64. Fernando broke through to tilt the balance again when he trapped Misbah in front.

Abdul Razzaq's run out, difficult a risky second to deep mid wicket, put Sri Lanka more on top at 102-5 in the 27th over. Umar Gul was another lbw victim and the match seemed over at 169-8. But Afridi gave Pakistan a shine of hope with a short cameo of 29 off 14 balls, striking three fours and a six.

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Pakistan extended their inspiring run in Test cricket since the spot-fixing scandal deprived them of three first-choice players, secure a series win over Sri Lanka on a rare rain-hit day in Sharjah. Properly, Misbah-ul-Haq, the man who took over as captain and give a backbone to a team that was in disorder last year, remained unbeaten to ensure there were no implosions and confirms the draw.

The result extends Sri Lanka's winless streak to 14 Tests, again stress their struggle to come to terms with the loss of Muttiah Muralitharan. They give up a lack of killer nature by batting on the final day of this must-win Test, despite a three-hour rain delay. They were 237 ahead by stumps on the fourth day, adequately large lead in a match where the run-rate had been around two-and-a-half over the first four days, but they weren't confident enough to declare at the start of play when 67.2 overs remained.

Pakistan needed a high-octane start if they were to make a serious tilt at the target of 255 in 61 overs. Pakistan was 20 for 0 midway through the fifth over, but their momentum was taken away by a direct hit from substitute Lahiru Thirimanne at midwicket, which caught Hafeez short. It was at ease for Pakistan in the end, with Shafiq and Misbah stonewalling 16 overs in the fading light. Misbah even shared a light-hearted moment with Sangakkara as the match wound down, for a laugh imitating a left-hand batsman.

Sri Lanka 413 (Sangakkara 144, Dilshan 92, Ajmal 4-132) and 181 for 6 dec (Paranavitana 76*, Sangakkara 51) drew with Pakistan 340 (Younis Khan 122, Misbah 89, Azhar 53, Welegedara 5-87) and 87 for 4

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The Pakistan side that takes guard on Thursday will also be unrecognizable from the flashy crowd-pullers that used to grace this venue back in the day. The last time Pakistan lined up for Test cricket in Sharjah, they were handed two brutal hammerings by Australia, including the humiliation of being bowled out for 59 and 53 in the same match. Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Taufeeq Umar were a part of that series in 2002, and each of them would vanish into Pakistan's fringes before re-emerging, stronger than ever.

The bowling line-up has lost the Mohammad Asif and Amir but Junaid Khan has already replicated their talent to hoop the ball each way. The lack of bowling nous has put Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene under such powerful pressure that it has affected their efficiency with the bat. The captain, Tillakaratne Dilshan, is going through a horror run of form as well - he has scored 177 runs in his last nine outings, 83 of those coming in one innings against Australia.

A turnaround in his personal fortunes will help his team get back on track. There's plenty riding on this match for Pakistan. A 2-0 series score line will take them ahead of Sri Lanka to fifth in the ICC Test table, and within moving distance of Australia

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Date	Match	Place	Time
Nov 11	First ODI	Dubai International Cricket Stadium	15:00 D/N
Nov 14	Second ODI	Dubai International Cricket Stadium	15:00 D/N
Nov 18	Third ODI	Dubai International Cricket Stadium	15:00 D/N
Nov 20	Fourth ODI	Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium	15:00 D/N
Nov 23	Fifth ODI	Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi	15:00 D/N
Nov 25	Only T20I	Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi	21:00 D/N

Upul Tharanga and fast bowlers Dilhara Fernando and Lasith Malinga have been included in Sri Lanka's 15-man squad for the one-day series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. In all, Sri Lanka have made seven changes from the Test squad that presently trails Pakistan 0-1 in the three-Test series, with openers Tharanga Paranavitana and Lahiru Thirimanne, and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath among those missing out. Dimuth Karunaratne, who played two one-dayers on the tour of England in July, returns, but there was no place for spinner Ajantha Mendis.

Mendis picked up a back injury during the following Tests and was not selected for the Test series against Pakistan. In his absence, off spinner Suraj Randiv and the two leg spinners, Jeevan Mendis and Seekkuge Prasanna. Tharanga was Sri Lanka's second-highest scorer against Australia, but struggled apart from making 111 in the third ODI, his next best score in the series being 34. Malinga returns to provide the bowling attack with the cutting edge it appears to lack in Tests following Muttiah Muralitharan's retirement.

He will be joined in the seam department by Fernando, who has not played since breaking down on Sri Lanka's tour of England, Dhammika Prasad, who did not feature in the ODIs against Australia, and Suranga Lakmal. Kosala Kulasekara, a big-hitting batting allrounder who replaced the injured Shaminda Eranga in the Test squad, has also kept his place. But Chamara Silva and Nuwan Kulasekara, both of whom were part of the Australia series, have not been included.

ODI Squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Mendis, Kosala Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Dhammika Prasad, Seekkuge Prasanna, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dilhara Fernando, Suraj Randiv

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