The stakes will be high when India and Sri Lanka take to the
field this coming Sunday 6th in the finals of the 2008 Asia Cup in Pakistan.
Both these sides have outplayed the remaining four sides in the six match tournament
to set up a final date in Karachi and with the tag of champions of Asia up for
grabs, expect a strong rebuttal when India take on a much improved Sri Lanka
this coming Sunday 6th July 2008.
Click for Live Score Card of India vs Sri Lanka
India and Sri Lanka played out a rehearsal of sorts back on the 3rd of July,
which saw India pull off a handsome six wicket victory over their Southern rivals.
As the Indian batting has exhibited over and over again, even a score in the
excess of 300 proved to be insufficient as the likes of Dhoni, Gambhir and Raina
pulled up handsome half centuries to notch up a simple victory. This was the
second time that India have scaled a total in the excess of 300 in a matter
of a week and they will be supremely confident of doing good this time around
in the final. The Sri Lankan bowling on the other hand looked pedestrian and
they will have to compensate for the absence of spearhead Chaminda Vaas
as they aim to retain the Asia Cup.
India will be the odds on favourite going into the final having won matches
against all three major opponents in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been a complete revelation at number four and with
Yusuf Pathan coming in at number seven; the Indian batting line up is
without a doubt the hardest hitting around in international cricket. However,
the bowling remains somewhat of a concern with no one really troubling the batting
line up as of yet. Although Ishant Sharma has shown glimpses of his undoubted
talent sporadically, consistency is a virtue, which has been exhibited at a
premium by the Indian bowling attack. The lack of proper spin alternatives is
yet another worry for the Indian side as Piyush Chawla has never really troubled
opposition batsmen in his time in Pakistan. India last won the Asia Cup way
back in 1996 and they will be hoping to repeat history with a win over Sri Lanka
this time around as well.
Sri Lanka on the other hand will be perturbed their loss to India last time
around. Although they set up a more than competitive total of 308, a flat belter
of a pitch in Karachi meant that they were always going to be a bowler short.
While the Lankans have a strong bowling attack on paper, the absence of Malinga
coupled with the lack of form of strike spearhead Dilhara Fernando means
added responsibility on the spin twins of Muttaih Muralitharan and Arjun
Mendis. Sri Lanka's biggest strength however has been the batting poweress of
their opening pair in Kumara Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasurya. Jayasurya has
shown little sign of his age as he continues to batter opposition bowlers left
and right and the 39 year old left hander will be hoping for one last push when
he comes up against the likes of Ishant Sharma and company this coming Sunday
July 6th 2008 at Karachi, Pakistan.
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