Colombo, February 13 As mystery spinners Varun Chakravarthy, Abrar Ahmed, and Usman Tariq watched the T20 World Cup match between Australia and Zimbabwe at the Premadasa Stadium, their hearts would have been pounding with excitement ahead of Sunday's marquee India vs. Pakistan clash here.
On the slow, newly-laid Khettarama (the original name of the stadium) surface, Zimbabwe pacers used slower deliveries to restrict the Australian batters, securing a shocking 23-run victory on Friday.
It's easy to imagine the effect Chakravarthy, Ahmed, and Tariq, with their mysterious craft, can have on batters on such a surface.
Chakravarthy's switch from side spin to over spin last year during the Indian Premier League improved his efficiency, considering his reliance on angles rather than spin.
Along with subtle changes in angles, Chakravarthy also bowls at an average speed of 95 kmph, which is faster than many other contemporary spinners. However, this pitch may force him to slow down.
"At such speeds and angles, length is more important. Varun has the ideal length. It's neither too short nor too full, so the batsmen cannot comfortably hang back and confidently play those big shots. He can create a lot of doubts in batsmen's minds with his lengths," former India spinner Sunil Joshi explained.
This doesn't sound good for someone like Babar Azam, who now bats at No. 4 and fits perfectly into Chakravarthy's style.
The former Pakistan captain still struggles to generate pace from the start, and the previous match against the USA offered a sample of his reluctance to adapt to the modern T20 game.
Babar took 20 balls to find his first six, which is rare even in ODIs these days, so he will face a challenge against Chakravarthy, who rarely gives away freebies.
However, Pakistan have a potent answer in their arsenal to Chakravarthy's magic — the unconventional Tariq.
His pause-and-sling-delivery method has already sparked a lot of discussions in the cricketing world, and on Sunday, the off-spinner will want to stop the formidable Indian batting unit.
More discerning observers will see some resemblance to former Sri Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga, the original slinger.
"His action, the primary attraction of his bowling, allows him to keep the ball below the batsmen's eye line. So, it's not easy to hit him, it's almost like you're dealing with yorkers every ball.
"But more than that, Tariq is a mature person who understands his game and reads the batsmen well. He has overcome some struggles. The entire action and mystery just add to his personality," opined Nabeel Hashmi, the General Manager of Quetta Gladiators, Tariq's team in the Pakistan Super League, in an interaction with news agency PTI.
Abrar has been de-mystified a bit, and the Indian batters have also played against him a few times. However, on a slow pitch like the one at Premadasa, the leg-spinner can still be a handful.
The 27-year-old relies on googlies and carrom balls to stun batters, and 34 out of his 49 T20I wickets have come off these two deliveries.
Unlike more flamboyant modern leg-spinners like Yuzvendra Chahal, Abrar does not try to lure batters with spin, but he lands the ball on the stumps to create confusion.
The RPICS pitch here could be a perfect ally for him on Sunday.
"Premadasa can often provide good assistance to spinners, as you have seen how Sri Lankan spinners have operated at this venue for years. You just need to pitch the ball in the right areas, and the track here will do the rest. Spinners can easily use bowled or leg before dismissals here, if they find that right length," offers former Lankan spinner Upul Chandana.
So, who will find that right length on Sunday? We will have to wait till Sunday night.