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India enter Asia Cup final
India snatched a stunning four-run win against a Jayasuriya-inspired Sri Lanka to move into the final of the Asia Cup. Full Scorecard || Pics
Think of Pakistan. Think how their heads must have hung when Sanath Jayasuriya, after one of the best one-day innings you’ll get to see, got out. India must also lower their heads to the man, and instead of rejoicing, reflect on how lucky they are to be in the Asia Cup final.
Sri Lanka, in reply to India's 271, finished at 267 for nine. Jayasuriya scored a destructive 130 and put up 103 runs for the sixth wicket with Tilakaratne Dilshan. In fact, had the other Sri Lankan batsmen, namely Saman Jayantha, Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene, not pottered around, they would have been home at a canter.
From the Indian point of view, Virender Sehwag's three for 37 off nine overs proved even more invaluable than his 81 in the afternoon. Sourav Ganguly recalled him for a second spell when the chips were down, and it proved to be a masterstroke.
Jayasuriya was unstoppable. There was just one flaw in the innings, and that was not Jayasuriya's fault. In Zaheer Khan's first over of the innings, he was trapped absolutely in front of the stumps, but David Shepherd thought otherwise. Shepherd had also given Sehwag out caught behind in the Indian innings, when the batsman had not played the ball. Both decisions, especially the latter, could have had a huge impact on the match.
That would not worry Jayasuriya, or Lanka. They would be glad that their frontline batsman, struggling for a while, has found his famed form.
He played every shot in the book, especially the pull and the sweep, to deadly effect. Zaheer Khan's first over went for 15, while his fourth was ripped apart by Jayasuriya, who hammered five boundaries as the Baroda seamer conceded 21 in that over. The shot of the day was an amazing reverse pull off Kumble.
What was surprising was how Atapattu patted everything back in Zaheer's fifth over, a maiden. The ideal thing would have been to snatch a single and put Jayasuriya on strike. That, and bowling Jayantha in the slog, defy comprehension.
In fact, at 134 for five, when Jayawardene played on to Sachin Tendulkar, things looked distinctly like going India's way, as with only Dilshan among the recognised batsmen left, it was a steep task for Sri Lanka. But Ganguly and his boys had not reckoned with Dilshan's grit, and their usual weakness of taking it easy in the middle overs came back to haunt them.
Earlier, after winning the toss in the morning, Ganguly led from the front as India posted 271for six in 50 overs. He scored 79, more valuable than Sehwag's 81 in terms of quality and composure.
Another fine hand was played by Yuvraj Singh, who has looked good in every innings. His 50 provided impetus to the Indian effort. Sehwag played in equal proportion to get runs for the team, and himself. This has not been a happy tour so far and he would be glad to get a score. So would the rest of the nation.
Sehwag can be ugly, and enchanting, depending on how he is going. Tuesday's display was a mix of both, as he frequently fished outside the off-stump, feet firmly planted in one place. But when he connected, it was with awesome power. Twice he sent the ball soaring over the ropes, and the boundaries too were unstoppable.
But he had his share of luck, dropped on six by Jayawardene at second slip off Lasith Malinga and then again, given a reprieve at 33 when Gunawardene floored an easy one off Dilshan.
Ganguly, on the other hand, played as fluently as the bounce and pace of the pitch allowed. He is pretty peeved, disturbed at how the media brands him in and out of form on innings by innings basis. His last three innings would make safe to assume that he is returning to form — long term.
It was also heartening to see that the Indian team is trying to put some responsibility on more batsmen. Rahul Dravid has failed twice, which in itself is not a good thing, but at least we are happy to see that there are others bearing the burden, as they had done in the last year-and-a-half.
