Finally after more than two weeks of enticing cricket, it is down to the ‘D’ Day when hosts Sri Lanka will lock horns against West Indies in the finals of the ICC T20 World Cup here on Sunday.
The stage is all set for Sri Lanka and it could not have been more fitting for the Island Nation to play such a high intensity match in front of their home crowd. Mahela Jayawerdene and Co., who made it to the finals of the tournament for the second time, will hope to get lucky this time around but what stands between them and glory is the boisterous Chris Gayle.
Gayle has already claimed that West Indies will win the World Cup and keeping in mind their performance against Australia, his claims cannot be called as unrealistic.
The burly left-handed opener has already scored 219 runs in six matches at an average of 55 and looks in prime form and for Sri Lanka more than taking on West Indies as a team but their battle would be against Gayle.
The match would surely a duel between brains and brawns and how the Lankan Lions counter Gayle would hold the key in the match. Gayle has been instrumental force in their success and the matches that he failed in have seen West Indies struggle.
He has changed his batting style and the new look Gayle does not go after the bowling right from the onset and once he sets his eyes in, unleashes on the bowlers. Gayle has been particularly brutal on the pacers and Sri Lanka will have to take the pace off the bowl to put pressure on him.
Jayawerdene has quite a few spinners in his arsenal and would want them to fire their salvos against him, because he knows if they can get Gayle out for cheap, the work would be half done for them.
One more thing that would bother the Lankans is that their batting has not been able to fire as expected and in spite of the likes of Jayawerdene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan, they were found wanting at times. They relied heavily on their bowling in the tournament but the way West Indies is batting, there are chances that their bowling might just look like a sitting duck.
They would have to dish out an all-round performance in the match if they want to cause serious problems for their opponents in the final. But as seen in the past that they have always delivered the goods at the right time and play at the big stage. The presence of big match players in the team gives them a very good chance in the finals and despite the strength that their opposition possess; they would enter the match on a confident note and fancy their chances.
And as for West Indies, more than winning the tournament, they will be looking to make a statement. The biggest strength for them has been the presence of impact players in the side. They have put in an all-round performance in the tournament and certainly look hot favourite to win the match. They are coming into the match at the back of an imposing victory the former World Champions Australia. They have the momentum behind them but whether they thrive under pressure or crumble under pressure will be a thing to see.
Expected playing XI:
Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene (capt.), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeevan Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath/Akila Dananjaya
West Indies: Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy (capt.), Andre Russell, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Samuel Badree.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News Network
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