Pakistan landed in Sri Lanka with a new captain and a new coaching set-up but then some old problems returned to trouble them.

In the tour opener, the Pakistan batsmen squandered a good opportunity to take a lead in the two-match series.

Today they can at best aim to square the series.

Pakistan has enough ability and experience in their ranks to bounce back and level the series.

For that to happen though, the batsmen will need to play a tighter game and rotate the strike more often.

Sri Lanka didn't play a great game, but were just a notch better with Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews making the difference.

However, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara are as good as any in world cricket and if they can find some form, the talented middle order can put Pakistan under pressure on a slow pitch.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first at Suriyawewa.