Going into the fifth game of the Tri Nation series at the recently rain-hit Rangiri Dambulla Stadium the Sri Lankans are struggling for survival. The abandonment of the New Zealand match at a time when the home team was handily placed has only stirred the pot.
India, currently lying at the bottom of the table on five points, has two games to play. If they triumph in both games the home team sits out the final- simple as that. A case of Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark!
The Lankan spin duo Ajantha Mendis and Suraj Randiv engage themselves in a lighter sport ahead of today’s crunch battle against the Indians (Pic Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa) |
If Sri Lanka wins against India and New Zealand loses to them, Sangakkara’s team will pip the Kiwis to a final spot. If India loses both games the expected pot-boiler will not happen and the game on the 28th will be enveloped in a feeling of dejavu.
What is disconcerting is that the Indians seem to have the measure of the Sri Lankans. Theirs was a clinically executed demolition at the Asia Cup final, where a target of 269 was way beyond what the home team achieved.
Coming to last Monday’s Sri Lanka- India game, the Indians kept gnawing away at the local batsmen and restricted them to a modest, but difficult to defend, total of 170. One felt it was never going to be enough. However when the Indians lost those early wickets, there was a glimmer of hope, some light at the end of the tunnel.
Enter the chunky Suresh Raina who has, together with Sehwag, been the bane of the Sri Lankan attack.
Early Indian fears were calmed down and the anxiety replaced by hope as Sehwag and Raina performed a good rescue job. Raina’s contribution was small but timely and significant. Sehwag, in tandem with Dhoni, finished the match with time and overs to spare. A bit of bad blood was spilled but the Indians were certainly cock-a-hoop and over the moon with their effort under the lights.
Apart from the problem of a fragile and non performing middle order, Sri Lanka’s woes begin at the top. Dilshan has made some runs, but certainly not enough for a batsman of his class. Tharanga is striving for consistency. Sangakkara has looked good every time he batted but from Sri Lanka’s point of view, a century would do the team’s prospects a world of good. Jayawardena had a couple of lean innings, but Friday’s efforts should get him back in the groove.
Chamara Silva has fitted in and out of the ODI side over the past eleven years, but his innings suggests that, at least now, he deserves some kind of permanency. His fielding is an asset too. Kapugedera continues to baffle while more runs from Mathews would add to the entertainment value. Off spinner Randiv bats usefully and defianthly. His fielding is also good value.
Kulasekera’s nip off the wicket and that devastating in swing is not much in evidence. The other Sri Lankan bowlers will have to contribute in either a restrictive or wicket tacking capacity, without banking on the explosive Malinga to bomb the Indians out.
All is not rosy in the Indian camp, either. Batters such as Kartik, Sharma and Kohli are searching for form and have made no significant contribution so far. Raina and Dhoni are in decent nick, but as long as Sehwag remains there is hope for India.
Weather permitting a tremendous match is in prospect today. One hopes extraneous factors don’t enter into the situation. It’s all or nothing for Sri Lanka, whereas India, with a game in hand, could be more relaxed. |
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