Sri Lanka, India set for intriguing final
DHAKA – Sri Lanka face a daunting test of nerves from dominant India in Sunday’s all-Asian World Twenty20 final in Dhaka that is rich with incentives for both teams.
If Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Indians win, they will become the first team to hold all three major limited-overs titles, having won the 50-over World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy last year.
Sri Lanka will seek an end to an inexplicable losing streak in title matches, after being beaten twice in World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011 and the World Twenty20 finals in 2009 and 2012.
A fitting farewell to veterans Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in their last T20 international game and a million-dollar winning bonus offered by officials back home will further inspire the Sri Lankans.
Sri Lanka’s English coach Paul Farbrace said past results counted for little in T20 games and pointed to his team’s victory in the Asia Cup one-day tournament in Dhaka last month as a turning point.
“We’ve done really well in most competitions and got to finals,” he said. “That’s where teams want to be. We had a big win here in the Asia Cup a few weeks ago where we beat India pretty convincingly, and also beat Pakistan twice.
“T20 is about whoever turns up on that particular day. Form goes out of the window. It’s about making sure we’re ready and focused. What happened two years ago won’t even be talked about.”
Sri Lanka reached Sunday’s final with a 27-run win over defending champions West Indies through the Duckworth-Lewis calculations in a rain-hit semi-final on Thursday.
The West Indies, chasing Sri Lanka’s 160-6, were 80-4 in 13.5 overs when a heavy downpour forced the match to be abandoned at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka.
India have enjoyed an amazing run in the tournament, winning all four Super-10 league matches before beating South Africa by six wickets with five deliveries to spare in Friday’s semi-final.
Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls as India chased down South Africa’s challenging 172-4, making the prolific right-hander the tournament’s leading scorer with 242 runs from five games.
India have also been served well by opener Rohit Sharma, whose 171 runs are far ahead of the 134 runs compiled by Sri Lanka’s top-scorer Jayawardene.
India also has the bowling edge with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s ten wickets and leg-spinner Amit Mishra’s nine outshining Sri Lankan seamer Nuwan Kulasekara (seven) and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath (five).
“There is a good feeling around the team, but we have to make a fresh start in the final,” said Kohli. “Sri Lanka is never a team to take lightly.”
Meanwhile, defending champions Australia will take on England in the women’s final at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium a few hours before the men take the field on Sunday.
(AFP)
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Go Sri Lanka Go! It is all in the mind. As ancient Japanese sword masters said, in combat do not bother thinking of the past or the future. Just concentrate of each ball you get and play it right. Victory will be yours.
The only thing is think twice when Dilshan calls for singles!!!!
We wish you all the best Sri Lanka. Ball dot walls, field well, score around 190 runs, restrict Koli, Sharma & Dhoni scoring runs. Easier said than done, but you guys have to do that.
India had been restricted to 130. Will SL batsman will give one away as well? We can even win with all 10 wickets in hand. All that is necessary is Sanga and Mahela to ride the first few overs and then to keep the per over run rate ticking, taking fours and sixes when ever Indian ball a loose one.
Fourth SL wicket down for 78 runs. Need more than run-a-ball now. In typical SL fashion we are half way of giving it away. Only Sanga is there. When He goes, it is all over.