RAWALPINDI.

Pakistan. Mar 2 IAFP): Sri Lanka's rising cricket stars are now looking for more s while Pakistan si niggle to solve its woes after a light finish in the first Test here.

Sri Lanka scraped through to a two wicket-win on Wednes-1 day in the first Tesl in Rawalpindi to record their 8th win in the last 18 Tests.

The recent showings are an indication that the Sri Lankan team is on the rise and with performance comes recognition." coach Dav Whatmore said.

Sri Lanka attained Test status from the International

1 Cricket Council in 1981 but have not yel been given a full

1 series by England and the West 1 Indies.

The boys have terrific enthusiasm and are keen on winning. The recent wins give us a lot of confidence to go on and lake any team." the Sri Lankan coach said.

Sri Lanka beat England in the one-off Test at Oval two years ago and lifted the tri-series title also involving South Africa.

After a lacklustre show in the 1999 World Cup in England. Sanath Jayasuriya s appointment as captain and the return of Whatmore enabled them to win the home Test series over Australia and triumph in the tn-series with Australia and India.

They beat Zimbabwe in the away Test and one-day series in December last year.

As long as the boys play positive cricket 1 am happy and satisfied and wins give us more confidence for the future." cap-

tain Jayasuriya said.

The home team Pakistan, however, are now looking for answers in the wake of recent defeats.

Plagued by a lack of continuity in the management and in team affairs their cricket looks in disarray.

Give us some time and Just one win. We are not in disarray but facing hard times." Pakistan Cricket Board's ad-hoc committee chairman General Tauqir Zia said.

Pakistan had four different set-ups in Ilie Board and sacked four coaches in 1999.

Pakistan lost Iheir last two home series against Australia and Zimbabwe and were whitewashed 3-0 by Steve Waugh s Australia down under in November last year.

Alter being ousted 2-0 in the finals of the Carlton and United tri-series they were defeated 3-0 in the home one-day series by Sri Lanka last month.

Now they are looking al the option of hiring a foreign coach

or reappointing ionner captain Javed Miandad.

Newspapers reports said Mlandacf confirmed his availability and was willing to take the job

Miandad fell out with senior players two weeks before the 1999 World Cup but cited family commitments for his quilling.

The board also has plans to hire former England player Geoff Boycott or South African Barry Richards.

Tne decision came under flack from former Pakistan players.

"They want to replace a 60-year-old Intikhab Alam with a 61-year-old Boycott. The Pakistan team needs a young and modern coach." said former Test player and coach Haroon Rasheed.

Pakistan may also face problems in getting foreign aid after they sacked South African coach Richard Pybus last year.

But captain Saeed Anwar says in time Pakistan will be ready to fight.

"We are being tested but I think it's a matter of time until we get settled and will be back on the winning track." he said.

'The body language of the boys in the Rawalpindi Test was good and they are keen tc reverse the fortunes." he said.

Pakistan face injury problems to ace pacers Wasim Akram and Shoaio Akhtar and all-rounder Azhar Mahmood.

Akhtar is due to return in the second Test in Peshawar, starting from March 5 but Akram and Mahmood are uncertain for the series due to groin injuries.

Pakistan have a tough tour oi the West Indies in April this year where they h^ve never won "a series.