Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan 2009

Prolific Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera Monday earned a place among cricket's elite by scoring twin double hundreds in back-to-back Tests.

Mahela Jayawardene will seek a winning farewell as captain when Sri Lanka take on Pakistan in the second and final Test starting at the Gaddafi Stadium here Sunday.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka criticised the lifeless wicket prepared for the drawn first Test here, with captains fearing such tracks will turn five-day cricket dull and make bowlers an endangered species.

Star batsman Younus Khan Wednesday said he was not heartbroken over failing to trounce Hanif Mohammad's best Test score for Pakistan, predicting more opportunities in the future.

Pakistan have put all-rounder Shahid Afridi and pace bowlers Sohail Tanvir and Abdur Rauf on standby for the second test against Sri Lanka.

Pakistan captain Younus Khan had wanted merely to go one better than his Sri Lankan counterpart but, after scoring a triple hundred on Tuesday, has raised his sights to Brian Lara's world record of 400.

Younis Khan called on Monday for more lively and sporting pitches in Pakistan to encourage fans to go to test matches knowing they will competitive.

Rows of empty seats and thousands of unsold tickets have provided a bleak backdrop to Pakistan's first Test in 14 months, with heavy-handed security blamed for keeping the usually raucous crowds away.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Farveez Maharoof was forced to quit the tour of Pakistan and return home on Sunday with a groin injury, team officials said.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam on Sunday criticised the lifeless wicket prepared for the first Test after Sri Lanka racked up a record total to take a stranglehold on the match.