Pakistan, fourth in the Twenty20 rankings, are also aiming to topple Sri Lanka from the top of the standings by winning both matches, the second of which takes place on Friday.
"Sri Lanka are a top side so this is in itself a motivation to beat the number one side and if we win both it will lift us to the top of the world," Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez said.
If the series is a 1-1 draw the teams will maintain their current rankings while a 2-0 loss would push Hafeez's team down to fifth.
They also overcame tough resistance from minnows Afghanistan by six wickets in a last ball thriller in Sharjah on Sunday -- the first Twenty20 between the two countries.
Pakistan will be at full strength and boosted by the return of magician off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who skipped Sunday's game to rest back home.
"We leaked quite a few runs against Afghanistan so we will have to be at our best to beat Sri Lanka and Ajmal's return will help that," said Hafeez, who was man of the match against Afghanistan for his 42 not out.
Last month they beat New Zealand 1-0 with the other match abandoned because of inclement weather.
"The advantage Pakistan's got is that they have played a lot of international cricket in the last six-eight months whereas unfortunately we haven't played nearly as much because of weather and various other things," said coach Graham Ford.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
