Published: Apr 01, 2011, 11:53 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 19, 2014, 11:29 AM (IST)
By Vinay Anand
So, in two days time India plays Asian rivals Sri Lanka in the grand finale in Mumbai. While both the teams have played each other 20 times in the last three years in ODI cricket, what has been evident so far is that the matches that have won by either teams, have been either due to India’s batting or Sri Lanka’s bowling. The Wankhede, perhaps, would not see anything different this time.
India have the strongest batting line-up of all the teams in the entire competition. Virender Sehwag may not be 100% fit, but when he is in full flow he is a joy to watch for everyone except the opposition captain. Kumar Sangakkara must have watched the way Sehwag went after the Pakistani bowlers and must be scratching his head at the moment. Gautam Gambhir has of course proved to be the ideal No.3 for India and pressure situations bring out the best in him. Why can’t it be a déjà vu of the 2007 T-20 final? Virat Kohli can make it big at No 4 being the adaptable batsman that he is, alongside the in-form and hard-hitting Yuvraj Singh at No.5. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina are capable finishers, who can give India a cracking finish.
And, of course, who can forget the great man who could be playing his last international match, Sachin Tendulkar! He is the highest run-getter of the tournament so far for India with 436 runs and he would give it anything for a World Cup win, using his experience and the home advantage in the best possible manner.
However, the battle which would be the most intriguing would be the ‘Slinga’ Lasith Malinga bowling to Tendulkar. Malinga knows the conditions in Mumbai well, since it’s the home ground of the IPL franchise he plays for, the Mumbai Indians. He has bowled to Tendulkar several times and the winner of this tussle could help his team in winning the game. His death overs are spot on and India’s batsmen will have to watch out for those variations of deadly yorkers and slower balls.
Apart from Malinga, Sri Lanka have Nuwan Kulasekara in their ranks. Someone like Sehwag should be wary of him as he bowls a consistent line and length which could frustrate batsmen in playing rash shots. Angelo Matthews is unfit after the semi-final game against New Zealand, but his slower bouncers are a huge asset for Sangakkara’s men and in a final, where batsmen are under huge pressure, those could actually help pick wickets.
Then come the spinners. Ajanta Mendis and Rangana Herath have bowled well so far in tandem and I would not be shocked to see Sangakkara play three spinners in the final. Mendis’ accuracy and Herath’s left-arm spin could spell double trouble for India.
But the biggest threat is the smiling assassin, Muttiah Muralitharan. The legendary off-spinner from Kandy will definitely be playing his last international game and even a 50% fit Murali would suffice for Sri Lanka as a World Cup final is a once-in-a-lifetime game to make your nation and cricket proud of your achievements. His duel with Tendulkar would also produce a huge rush of adrenalin as the highest wicket-taker in the world is likely to bowl to the highest run-scorer in the world.
This is the situation which counts and would prove whether India actually has a world-class batting line up which is hyped so much, and if Sri Lanka can live up to the expectations of a 1996 repeat with their main weapon, bowling. A thrilling final is on the cards!
(Vinay Anand, 17, has an uncanny eye for detail. He revers cricket – looking beyond the glamour into the heart of the game where true passion, perseverance and grit meet. To him, there is no greater joy than coming closer to the sport while exploring its intricacies through his writing and treading ahead to establish himself as a writer and presenter)
