The five-match series is excitingly poised, with both the teams having won one match each. Both sides are on the lookout for drawbacks in each other's games to gain the vital edge, so the abilities of all players in all departments of the game will be put to a severe test.
Sri Lanka will have to make sure that their batting does not fail again and must put on a better performance than they did in the first one-day match. At the same time, Pakistan should make sure that they can handle Lasith Malinga's opening spell without losing wickets.
The wicket will be the same one on which the first two one-dayers were played, so both teams knows the conditions very well. Under these circumstances the psychological factors will play a vital role. Sri Lankan team coach Geoff Marsh helped them win the second match purely by instilling confidence in his players — he made them believe in themselves and the fact they are one of the finest one-day teams in the world.