The ICC Cricket World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka promises to be a cracker on Saturday. Who will repeat history - the Men in Blue or the Islanders?
CRICKLANKA.com will be showing ALL the games of the tournament LIVE and in full. There's now no excuse to miss a minute's action thanks to www.cricklanka.com - ENJOY!It was the tournament we thought might never end but after 44 days and 48 matches the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup will take place at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday between India and Sri Lanka.
It throws up some compelling duels, not least between the most successful bowler on the planet in Sri Lanka's 38-year-old Muttiah Muralitharan and arguably the world's greatest batsman in India's 37-year-old Sachin Tendulkar.
It is rare that two thirty-something sportsmen can hold the key to the outcome of an event which increasingly relies on fearless hitting and youthful vigour.
The equation is simple.
If Tendulkar and the Indian batsmen cannot handle Muralitharan, playing in his final international match after taking 800 Test and 534 one-day wickets, then the crown most likely will go to Sri Lanka.
If, however, Tendulkar scores the 100th international century of his career, he has 51 in Tests and 48 in one-dayers, then India should become the first cricketing nation to win the World Cup on their own soil.
To throw more intrigue into the mix Muralitharan has the problem of a troublesome hamstring but he coped in the semi-final against New Zealand and Sri Lanka will want him out there on one leg as their talisman.
His awkward action and wristy delivery has always made him a big spinner of the ball and he is backed up by a fast bowler in Lasith Malinga whose swinging yorker is a real menace.
Sri Lanka also possess fine batsmen in openers Upal Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan, the latter the tournament's leading run-maker having scored 467 at an average of 66.71.
That pair brushed aside England in the quarter final, Tharanga scoring 102 and Dilshan 108 as Sri Lanka humiliated Andrew Strauss' men by 10 wickets.
They also have captain Kumar Sangakkara in fine form and Mahela Jayawardene is capable of winning a match on his own.
Sri Lanka's one concern is how they would cope if their top batsmen failed because the middle order and tail is largely untested in recent weeks.
There is a more solid look about India. They are battle-hardened, having beaten Australia and Pakistan on their way to the final.
Pace bowler Ashish Nehra has been ruled out with a fractured finger but in Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh they have wicket-taking bowlers and in openers, Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, batsmen with the talent to post huge scores in double-quick time.
In truth, it is too close to call although home advantage and the tailwind of more than a billion fervent supporters suggests Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be holding the ICC Cricket World Cup trophy come Saturday night.
What the World Cup needs now is a final worth the wait.
TEAMS
Sri Lanka: Chamara Kapugedera, Chamara Silva, Mahela Jayawardena, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Ajantha Mendis, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralidaran, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kumar Sangakkara
India: Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sreesanth, Zaheer Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni
India - Route to Final
Group B, 1st match v Bangladesh 19/02/11
Virender Sehwag's swashbuckling 175 and Virat Kohli's unbeaten century set up India's 87-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Mirpur. Sehwag's 140-ball innings, studded with five sixes and 14 fours, and his 203-run stand for the third wicket with Kohli (100 not out) helped India notch up 370 for four, which eventually proved beyond the reach of the home team.
England and India tied one of the World Cup's greatest matches after Andrew Strauss and Sachin Tendulkar each hit scintillating centuries at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Strauss' career-best 158 carried England to within sight of a tournament-record run chase, which faltered thanks to the bowling of Zaheer Khan in pursuit of 338 all out. But late hitting from Graeme Swann and Ajmal Shahzad - who smashed his first delivery for six off Munaf Patel - gave England another chance with 28 runs off the last two overs. Ultimately, though, it was one point each for the teams via the fourth tie in the history of the competition after Swann could scramble only a single from Patel's final ball with eight wickets down under lights.
Yuvraj Singh's all-round performance guided India to a five-wicket victory over Ireland in their match in Bangalore. Yuvraj scored 50 off 75 balls to back up his best World Cup bowling figures of five for 31, as India overhauled the giant killers' target of 207 for victory in 46 overs. The left-hander added 67 with Mahendra Singh Dhoni (34), but Ireland gave India some anxious moments throughout by picking up some crucial wickets.
India became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup with a five-wicket win over Holland in Delhi. Chasing 190 to win, the home side were wobbling at 139 for five - thanks largely to Pieter Seelaar's three for 53 - and it needed a patient knock of 51 from Yuvraj to see them through.
Tendulkar's 99th international century was in vain as South Africa got their ICC Cricket World Cup campaign back on track with a dramatic three-wicket win over India in their Group B clash at Nagpur. With India batting first, Tendulkar compiled 111 off 101 balls to register his sixth World Cup century but only Sehwag (73) and Gautam Gambhir (69) supported him. The co-hosts had looked on track for a massive total but lost their last nine wickets for just 29 runs, with Dale Steyn taking five for 50, as India were somehow bowled out for 296 from 48.4 overs.
Yuvraj hit a century and claimed two wickets to guide India to an 80-run victory over the West Indies in their last Group B match in Chennai. Yuvraj showed his all-round capabilities in the match by scoring 113 off 123 balls and then returned to pick up Devon Thomas and Andre Russell to complete a memorable outing.
India dumped three-time defending champions Australia out of the ICC Cricket World Cup to set up an eye-catching semi-final with Pakistan. Yuvraj was the star for the co-hosts in Ahmedabad, hitting a calm, unbeaten 57 to guide his side to a five-wicket win after Ricky Ponting's century had put Australia in a strong position. Ponting made 104 off 118 balls as the Australians made 260 for six, but India reached their target with 14 balls remaining thanks to Yuvraj, Tendulkar (53) and Gambhir (50).
World Cup favourites India held their nerve for a 29-run win over Pakistan in Mohali to progress to the final. The jury was out, after Tendulkar (85) had ridden his luck against Wahab Riaz (five for 46) and others, whether India's 260 for nine was a defendable total. But in a cauldron-like atmosphere in front of a capacity crowd in Mohali, the tournament co-hosts had matters in hand despite an all-too-late rally from Misbah-ul-Haq.
Sri Lanka - Route to Final
Group A, 1st match v Canada 20/02/11
Sri Lanka got their ICC Cricket World Cup campaign off to a flier with a comprehensive 210-run win over Canada in their Group A game at Hambantota. Batting first, the Lions amassed 332 for seven in 50 overs thanks to Mahela Jayawardene's century and a 179-run third-wicket stand he shared with skipper Kumar Sangakkara (92). In reply, Canada slumped to 53 for five and Rizwan Cheema's quickfire 37 only served to delay the inevitable as Thisara Perera and Nuwan Kulasekara took three wickets each to bowl their opponents out for 122 with 13 overs to spare.
Shahid Afridi picked up four wickets as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 11 runs in Colombo. The skipper's magical spell of three for 34 came on the back of fine batting efforts by Misbah-ul-Haq (83 not out off 81 balls) and Younus Khan (72 off 76 balls), who helped Pakistan to 277 for seven in 50 overs. Chamara Silva (57 off 79 balls) and Sangakkara (49 off 61 balls) raised hopes of a successful chase, but were undone by four quick wickets midway through the innings as Sri Lanka eventually ended on 266 for nine.
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Group A, 3rd match v Kenya 01/03/11
Group A, 3rd match v Kenya 01/03/11
Lasith Malinga claimed six wickets including a hat-trick to power Sri Lanka to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Kenya in Colombo. Malinga (six for 38) ran through the Kenya line-up en route to the second hat-trick of the tournament after Kemar Roach's efforts for West Indies against Canada the previous day.
Group A, 4th match v Australia 05/03/11
The Group A clash between Sri Lanka and Australia at Colombo was abandoned due to rain. Opting to bat first under cloudy conditions, Sri Lanka had reached 146 for three in 32.5 overs before the heavens opened. Both sides picked up a point apiece.
Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a magnificent century and then picked up four wickets as Sri Lanka trounced Zimbabwe by 139 runs to reach the quarter-finals of the ICC CWC in Kandy. Dilshan, who hit 144 off 131 balls, and Upul Tharanga, who made 133 off 141, put on 282, the best opening partnership in World Cup history, but fell just five short of the all-time one-day international record set by Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya against England five years ago.
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Group A, 6th match v New Zealand 18/03/11
Group A, 6th match v New Zealand 18/03/11
Muttiah Muralitharan produced a magical spell to back up Sangakkara's majestic century as Sri Lanka handed a crushing 112-run defeat to New Zealand in Mumbai. Spin legend Muralitharan picked up four for 25 to skittle out the Black Caps for 153 in 35 overs after Sangakkara's 111 helped Sri Lanka to pile on a competitive 265 for nine. Sangakkara added 145 with Jayawardene (66 off 90 balls) for the third wicket before Angelo Mathews' cameo boosted the total. Chasing 266 for victory, New Zealand faltered from the start, losing five frontline batsmen for 92 inside 22 overs and eventually surrendering without any fight in a match which was a dead rubber, with both teams having already progressed to the last eight.
Sri Lanka proved a step much too far as England were trounced by 10 wickets for a humbling World Cup exit at the hands of Dilshan and Tharanga. England's progress to the quarter-finals was unconvincing, involving a succession of improbably tight finishes against allcomers in Group B. That was not remotely the case at the Premadasa Stadium as openers Dilshan (108 not out) and Tharanga (102 not out) each hit irresistible hundreds in an unbroken stand of 231 to power their team to victory with more than 10 overs to spare.
Sri Lanka overcame a late wobble to battle past New Zealand by five wickets and book their place in the ICC CWC final. The co-hosts were coasting to victory while Dilshan (73) was continuing his prolific form in a 120-run stand with Sangakkara (54). Dilshan deposed England's Jonathan Trott as the tournament's top runscorer in what appeared a straightforward chase of 217 all out under lights at the Premadasa Stadium. But the second-wicket pair were both among the batsmen to go as Sri Lanka stumbled and stalled from 160 for one in the 33rd over to 185 for five in the 43rd. Some strong nerves were therefore required from the late middle order to haul them through - with a flattering 13 balls to spare - to an all-sub continental showpiece decider in Mumbai against India.
Approaching milestones
1. Sachin Tendulkar (2965) requires just 35 runs to become the first batsman to aggregate 3000 runs against Sri Lanka in ODIs.
2. Kumar Sangakkara (1946) needs 54 runs to become the second Sri Lankan after Jayasuriya (2899) to complete 2000 runs in ODIs against India.
3. Mahela Jayawardene (1886) requires 114 runs to complete his 2000 runs in ODIs against India.
4 Muttiah Muralitharan (74) needs just one wicket to become the first bowler to complete 75 wickets against India in ODIs.
5. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5958) requires 42 runs to complete his 6,000 runs in ODIs.
6. Gambhir (3976) needs 24 runs to complete his 4,000 runs in ODIs.
7. Virat Kohli (1919) needs 81 runs to complete his 2,000 runs in ODIs.
8. In case of a hundred, Sachin (99) would become the first batsman to complete 100 international centuries.
9. Sachin (6958), in case of 42 runs more, would become the first to aggregate 7000 runs at home.
10. Sachin (464) requires 36 runs to complete his 500 runs in the present edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup.
11. Sachin, in case of 500 runs, would be the first player to aggregate 500 runs in a World Cup competition three times, having previously achieved the feat in 2002-03 (673) and 1995-96 (523).
12. Virender Sehwag (380) needs 20 runs to complete 400 runs in a series/tournament for the first time in ODIs.
13. Zaheer Khan (19) is all set to become the first Indian bowler to complete 20 wickets in a single edition of the World Cup.
14. Zaheer (42 in 22), in case of three wickets, would be the leading Indian wicket-taker (45) at the World Cup.
15. Upul Tharanga (3896) requires 104 runs to complete his 4000 runs in ODIs.
16. Sangakkara (943) needs 57 runs to complete his 1,000 runs at the World Cup.
2. Kumar Sangakkara (1946) needs 54 runs to become the second Sri Lankan after Jayasuriya (2899) to complete 2000 runs in ODIs against India.
3. Mahela Jayawardene (1886) requires 114 runs to complete his 2000 runs in ODIs against India.
4 Muttiah Muralitharan (74) needs just one wicket to become the first bowler to complete 75 wickets against India in ODIs.
5. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5958) requires 42 runs to complete his 6,000 runs in ODIs.
6. Gambhir (3976) needs 24 runs to complete his 4,000 runs in ODIs.
7. Virat Kohli (1919) needs 81 runs to complete his 2,000 runs in ODIs.
8. In case of a hundred, Sachin (99) would become the first batsman to complete 100 international centuries.
9. Sachin (6958), in case of 42 runs more, would become the first to aggregate 7000 runs at home.
10. Sachin (464) requires 36 runs to complete his 500 runs in the present edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup.
11. Sachin, in case of 500 runs, would be the first player to aggregate 500 runs in a World Cup competition three times, having previously achieved the feat in 2002-03 (673) and 1995-96 (523).
12. Virender Sehwag (380) needs 20 runs to complete 400 runs in a series/tournament for the first time in ODIs.
13. Zaheer Khan (19) is all set to become the first Indian bowler to complete 20 wickets in a single edition of the World Cup.
14. Zaheer (42 in 22), in case of three wickets, would be the leading Indian wicket-taker (45) at the World Cup.
15. Upul Tharanga (3896) requires 104 runs to complete his 4000 runs in ODIs.
16. Sangakkara (943) needs 57 runs to complete his 1,000 runs at the World Cup.
India vs. Sri Lanka in ODI/World Cup - Head to Head
ODIs
India have a better record than Sri Lanka in ODIs, registering winning % of 57.26 as compared to Sri Lanka's 42.73. India have won 67 and lost 50 out of 128 played - the remaining eleven did not produce results.
India have won four and lost six out of the last ten played against Sri Lanka.
World Cup
Sri Lanka have won four and lost two out of seven played (NR 1) - winning % 66.66 for India and 33.33% for Sri Lanka.
ODIs in India
India have won 28 and lost eleven out of 42 played, the remaining three could not produce results - winning % 71.79 for India and 28.21 for Sri Lanka.
Overall World Cup
India have won 38 and lost 26 out of 66 played (NR 1 and Tied 1) - winning % 59.23.
Sri Lanka have won and lost the same number of games (31) out of 65 played (NR 2 & Tied 1) - winning % 50.00
Overall ODIs at Mumbai
India have won eight and lost six out of 14 played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - winning % 57.14.
India have a better record than Sri Lanka in ODIs, registering winning % of 57.26 as compared to Sri Lanka's 42.73. India have won 67 and lost 50 out of 128 played - the remaining eleven did not produce results.
India have won four and lost six out of the last ten played against Sri Lanka.
World Cup
Sri Lanka have won four and lost two out of seven played (NR 1) - winning % 66.66 for India and 33.33% for Sri Lanka.
ODIs in India
India have won 28 and lost eleven out of 42 played, the remaining three could not produce results - winning % 71.79 for India and 28.21 for Sri Lanka.
Overall World Cup
India have won 38 and lost 26 out of 66 played (NR 1 and Tied 1) - winning % 59.23.
Sri Lanka have won and lost the same number of games (31) out of 65 played (NR 2 & Tied 1) - winning % 50.00
Overall ODIs at Mumbai
India have won eight and lost six out of 14 played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - winning % 57.14.
Sri Lanka have won two and lost two out of four played - winning % 50.00.
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