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| Sri Lankan cricket team pray for their success during a Buddhist ceremony in Colombo on December 6, 2013, prior to the team's departure for a cricket tour in UAE |
Pakistan, fourth in the Twenty20 rankings, are likewise aiming to topple Sri Lanka from the highest point of the standings by winning both matches, the second of which happens on Friday.
"Sri Lanka are a top side so this is in itself a cause to prevail over the most obvious side and in the event that we win both it will lift us to the highest point of the planet," Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez said.
Provided that the arrangement is a 1-1 draw the groups will maintain their present rankings while a 2-0 misfortune might push Hafeez's group down to fifth.
Pakistan go into the matches generally ready in the wake of playing four Twenty20 amusements against South Africa a month ago.
They additionally overcame extreme safety from minnows Afghanistan by six wickets in a last ball thriller in Sharjah on Sunday - the first Twenty20 between the two nations.
Pakistan will be at full quality and helped by the reappearance of entertainer off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who skipped Sunday's diversion to rest back home.
"We spilled an amazing not many runs against Afghanistan so we will be getting it done to demolish Sri Lanka and Ajmal's return will help that," said Hafeez, who was man of the match against Afghanistan for his 42 not out.
Sri Lanka, headed by Dinesh Chandimal, will overcome rustiness after the majority of their later matches at home were ruined by rain.
A month ago they beat New Zealand 1-0 with the other match surrendered in light of inclement climate.
"The playing point Pakistan's got is that they have played a considerable measure of international cricket in the last six-eight months although unfortunately we haven't played about as much as a result of climate and different things," said mentor Graham Ford.
Sri Lanka are hoping their batting will see them through with the encountered Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara providing a complexity to Pakistan's delicate and flighty batsmen.
Ajantha Mendis and Sachithra Senanayake are the two master spinners in the bowling section which is led by paceman Lasith Malinga.
Pakistan finished runners-up in the first World Twenty20 held in South Africa in 2007 before winning the title in England two years after the fact.
Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's - a rout which Sri Lanka evened the score concerning by winning the semi-final in Colombo on their approach to finishing runners-up in the fourth release a year ago.
The fifth release will be held in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6.
Pakistan's selectors included 19 year-old left-arm paceman Usman Shinwari to the squad after his noteworthy performance at down home level.
Shinwari took 5-9 in National Twenty20 title final on December 3 in Lahore, which likewise included Pakistan's one-day and Test captain Misbah-ul Haq's scalp.
Groups (from):
Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Lasith Malinga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Ramith Rambukwella.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Zulfiqar Babar, Bilawal Bhatti, Junaid Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Anwar Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Haris Sohail, Usman Shinwari.
Umpires: Ahsan Raza (Pak) and Shozab Raza (Pak)
Television umpire: Zameer Haider (Pak)
Match ref: David Boon (Aus)
On December 10, 2013
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