We are prepared to face motivated Lankans: Younis

LAHORE: Pakistan captain Younis Khan on Saturday said the hosts are prepared for a hard-fought second Test against Sri Lanka starting from Sunday as the visitors would be eyeing to give a fitting farewell to Mahela Jayawardene who would be relinquishing captaincy after the match.
Younis said it was natural that the Lankan players would be motivated lot for Jayawardene, who would be leading his team for the last time in a Test.
"We know they are going to come hard at us. We know they will play hard but we are prepared," Younis said.
"But I think the way we fought in the first Test in Karachi, we can manage well. We are ready for a tough match despite having a young team," he added.
Younis said the Pakistan team had offered to give a salute to Jayawardene in his last Test as captain, but the Sri Lankan politely declined.
He pointed out that the Lankans are a dangerous outfit in any given circumstance and said when people were talking about Jayawardene's batting form, he responded with a double hundred in the first Test.
"I really don't care even if we lose the match as long as we play hard and committed cricket. I have a young team and I know it is going to take them some time to gain experience and settle down," he said.
Younis, who took over the captaincy from Shoaib Malik before the start of the series, pointed out that except for him and Danish Kaneria, the experience of the rest of Pakistani players was incomparable to the number of matches played by Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan.
"People have to be patient with us and these players. At times even I lose my temper with these players but they need experience and more exposure," he said.
Younis said he was happy to see a more lively looking track for the second Test.
"I am an aggressive captain and I think positive all the time. I like to attack and I want my players to be like that. If a captain is positive his players will follow him."
He stated that the same 12 players who were selected for the first Test had been retained, but admitted there was a toss up between young pacers Sohail Khan and uncapped Mohammad Talha.
"We might have just one change. But we played Sohail Khan in Karachi because he has pace and I am like Imran Khan I want to have bowlers who can bowl fast," he said.