Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The Indians and Sri Lankans who will take the field at the Wankhede on Saturday can form a combined dream XI of those who have featured in a World Cup final before. Only one amongst them,Muttiah Muralitharan,has won the trophy earlier.
This side is blessed with a wicketkeeper,a classy top and middle order,three fast bowlers,including two left-arm seamers and one who owns a unique slingshot action and a near unplayable yorker. A fast bowler,an opener and a busy lower middle-order batsman wait in the wings.
Six members of Team India from that 2003 summit clash will figure in Saturdays game,while as many as eight Sri Lankans from that lop-sided 2007 loss to Australia will get another shot at redemption.
Tillakaratne Dilshan: Was run-out for just 14 off 13 balls batting in the middle order. Now,opening the innings,Dilshan has been in prime form with 467 runs,the highest scorer in this edition.
Virender Sehwag: Made 82 off 81 eight years ago against the Australians in the chase. He added 88 with Rahul Dravid. The opener now needs to provide a blazing start before the Sri Lankan spinners come into play.
Sachin Tendulkar: Got out cheaply to Glenn McGrath while trying to pull the Australian fast bowler. Is the second-highest scorer with 464 runs and is expected to lift his game in his World Cup swansong.
Kumar Sangakkara: Made 54 from 52 balls but couldnt save the sinking ship in the 2007 final. The skipper has been the form player of the team and will have to bat till the end if Sri Lanka are to make big runs.
Mahela Jayawardene: Skipper of that Lankan side scored 19 off 19. Was dismissed trying to keep pace with the asking rate. This time he hasnt made as many runs as he would have liked but is a big-match performer.
Yuvraj Singh: Had made 24 off 34
before being scalped by spinner Brad Hogg. Is in great form with both bat and ball having bagged four MoM awards. If India has to chase,the onus will be on him to finish the game.
Harbhajan Singh: The off-spinner bowled a good opening spell but was taken off a rare wrong call by Ganguly when Ricky Ponting came to the wicket. Harbhajan will be expected to take wickets in the big final.
Zaheer Khan: Conceded 15 runs in the first over of the Australian innings and conceded 67 runs in 7 overs in 2003. With 19 wickets,the left-arm paceman is Indias leading wicket-taker and is three scalps away from going ahead of Shahid Afridi.
Lasith Malinga: Had an average game taking two wickets for 49 in his eight overs in 2007. On Saturday,he will be the main strike bowler with the new ball and will also have to return to make full use of the older one too.
Ashish Nehra: The left-arm seamer conceded 57 runs in his ten overs against Australia,decent figures considering the mayhem unleashed by Ponting. Was one of the stars in the semi-final with figures of 2 for 33 but an injured finger that requires surgery has put him out of the final.
Muttiah Muralitharan: Went wicketless and conceded 44 in his seven overs in the 2007 final. He is struggling with a hamstring injury but is determined to play the final,in his own words the most important match of his life. Has 15 wickets in the tournament.
