SL have aces in Murali, Mendis

The second semi-final has the ingredients of a thriller, with Chris Gayle going up against the magic and guile of Muthiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis. If Mendis and Murali perform well together, the West Indies batsman will struggle, comments Matthew Hayden.

The second semi-final has the ingredients of a thriller, with Chris Gayle going up against the magic and guile of Muthiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.

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I’ve dwelt on speed and power as the two integral components for success in T20 cricket, and Gayle’s batting prowess is made up of both these characteristics. He is probably the hardest hitter in the game today, and he will look to belt some of the medium pacers into stupor, before Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis come on.

Experienced players like Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan will have a huge role to play once the power hitters do their job. Fidel Edwards’ injury will be a concern for the West Indies, as a bowler of his ability makes a huge difference to the attack.

SL have had the edge over most sides due to the presence of two unorthodox world-class spinners. If Mendis and Murali perform well together, the West Indies batsman will struggle.

In addition to the quality spin attack, SL have a potent batting line up with Dilshan, Sanath Jayasuriya and Sangakkara, and the team will need another blistering start from Jayasuriya and Dilshan to lay a solid foundation.