Will it be India fulfilling its destiny or Sri Lanka spoiling the party? That is the question being posed heading into Saturday's 2011 Cricket World Cup final.
A tournament that has had plenty of highlights and breathed new life into the fifty-over format of the game reaches its climax following the semi-finals that saw Sri Lanka first overcome plucky New Zealand, and then India defeat their great sporting rivals Pakistan, not without a scare or two along the way
The final sees the first all-Asian final as two of three co-hosts (Bangladesh being the other) meeting in the final, and on paper, and for the most part performances over the tournament, the two strongest sides contesting it. Both sides bat deep, armed with explosive hitters throughout the order, whilst the bowling attacks are varied, possessing quality with both pace and spin.
Throughout the tournament India have made explosive starts. The partnership of Sachin Tendulkar, and particularly Virender Sehwag at the top of the order have ensured fast starts, but often these have not resulted in the type of totals they should have done and they have paid the price along the way (a defeat and a tie against South Africa and England in the group stages) whilst their total of 261 against Pakistan was considered short of what they should have posted.
Sri Lanka have at times slipped under the radar, but they too have talent in abundance and batsman who are not afraid to take risks. Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan is the tournaments leading batsman with 464 runs and the tempo he sets early often shapes the Sri Lankan innings, evidenced by the way he destroyed England in the quarter-finals.
Spin has dominated in the tournament so far, an area both sides are strong in but two pace bowlers, India's Zaheer Khan and Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga will be key. Both are used at the start of the innings, but also utilised during the power plays. Khan has taken 19 wickets in the tournament but his economy rate of just 4.68 is as important, whilst Malinga has taken 11 wickets with his unorthodox approach and has accounted for many top batsman.
Team wise, the useful all-rounder Angelo Matthews misses out for Sri Lanka with a thigh injury and his loss will disrupt the balance of their side, whilst India will likely have to replace bowler Ashish Nehra who has a damaged finger, prompting a re-think of their bowling strategy, and they may decide to call up an additional spinner after opting for Nehra in their semi-final game. Interestingly, both captains are wicket-keepers and whilst Kumar Sangakkara is a relaxed figure out in the middle, it is the equally cool MS Dhoni who will have the pressure and weight of an expectant nation squarely on his shoulders.
The pressure of course will be on India, with expectations high since it was announced the tournament would be staged on the sub-continent. The fact that the final is in Mumbai lends even greater weight to it and the country will be brought to a standstill tomorrow with an estimated audience of over one billion expected to see the game.
The game will also feature two of the modern greats going head to head in what will be their final appearances in a World Cup. It will be Muttiah Muralitharan's final game for Sri Lanka. Perhaps not the bowler he once was, he is still a fearsome prospect and his overs in partnership with Ajantha Mendis could well set the tone for the Indian innings. Despite controversies surrounding his bowling action over the years, Muralitharan remains one of the most respected and well liked players of his generation, and with well over 1,000 victims to his name possesses records that may never be broken and he needs just three to overhaul Glenn McGrath for the all-time World Cup record.
All eyes though will be on Sachin Tendulkar though; the hometown boy who stands just one short of a century of hundred's for India in all comptetitions. Whilst there were hopes he would achieve this against Pakistan (eventually being dismissed on 85), what better way for him to grace a final by reaching that landmark figure. For all the dominance Muralitharan enjoys with the ball, Tendulkar is blazing records with the bat that when he retires will have similar status to some of those owned by Wayne Gretzky in the NHL.
Both sides have won the tournament once before: India when they shocked the West Indies back in 1983 (they also lost to Australia in 2003) and Sri Lanka in 1996, announcing themselves onto the world stage in the process.
India and Sri Lanka have match winners in abundance with both bat and ball and the game is virtually impossible to call. In terms of overall head to head record, India hold the advantage (67 wins to 50) and many observers feel that home advantage could be the key in determining the outcome and if true, will be the signal for the mother of all parties.
