Battle of the wicketkeeper captains
ESPNcricinfo looks at the mini-battles that will take place in the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka in Mumbai
ESPNcricinfo staff
01-Apr-2011
Zaheer Khan will try to dismiss Tillakaratne Dilshan early • AFP
Kumar Sangakkara v MS Dhoni
Both wicketkeepers. Both key batsmen. Most importantly, both captains. Dhoni hasn't had a great tournament, Sangakkara has had a good one but needs more to make it great. A century here, a catch there; a bowling change here, a quick stumping there could potentially make this a great World Cup for one of them.
Both wicketkeepers. Both key batsmen. Most importantly, both captains. Dhoni hasn't had a great tournament, Sangakkara has had a good one but needs more to make it great. A century here, a catch there; a bowling change here, a quick stumping there could potentially make this a great World Cup for one of them.
Virender Sehwag v Lasith Malinga
Late in 2009, at the Brabourne Stadium, about half a kilometre away from the Wankhede, Sehwag pulverised the Sri Lanka spinners for 293 runs in less than a day. Since then, he has held an edge over them, but Malinga will want to make sure Sehwag doesn't last long enough to see the spinners.
Late in 2009, at the Brabourne Stadium, about half a kilometre away from the Wankhede, Sehwag pulverised the Sri Lanka spinners for 293 runs in less than a day. Since then, he has held an edge over them, but Malinga will want to make sure Sehwag doesn't last long enough to see the spinners.
Sachin Tendulkar v Muttiah Muralitharan
Not much you can say about these two men; 18,093 one-day runs against 534 one-day wickets. Both are, surely, playing their last World Cup finals. Muralitharan is used to fairytale endings. Tendulkar has not had that kind of luck on big days. He has faced heartbreak in 1996 and 2003, but he is still there. Muralitharan has taken a wicket with his last ball in Tests, another with his last in home ODIs. Whose script has been written better? We will find out tomorrow.
Not much you can say about these two men; 18,093 one-day runs against 534 one-day wickets. Both are, surely, playing their last World Cup finals. Muralitharan is used to fairytale endings. Tendulkar has not had that kind of luck on big days. He has faced heartbreak in 1996 and 2003, but he is still there. Muralitharan has taken a wicket with his last ball in Tests, another with his last in home ODIs. Whose script has been written better? We will find out tomorrow.
Tillakaratne Dilshan v Zaheer Khan
Dilshan can hurt teams early. In the subcontinent, he does that more often than not. Zaheer, however, has in the past managed to maintain a certain control over him, bowling mostly into his rib area, tucking him up. On a big night, one Dilshan burst at the top, or one Zaheer delivery that gets him out early, could decide the final.
Dilshan can hurt teams early. In the subcontinent, he does that more often than not. Zaheer, however, has in the past managed to maintain a certain control over him, bowling mostly into his rib area, tucking him up. On a big night, one Dilshan burst at the top, or one Zaheer delivery that gets him out early, could decide the final.
Mahela Jayawardene v Harbhajan Singh
In a tri-series final in Sri Lanka, in 2009, Sri Lanka had made a bright start in a chase of 320, and had become favourites to win when Harbhajan Singh was introduced. In his second over he got Jayawardene out with a doosra, which turned the game on its head. With a weak lower middle order to follow him, Jayawardene will want no such repeats. This is a contest that will make the middle overs gripping.
In a tri-series final in Sri Lanka, in 2009, Sri Lanka had made a bright start in a chase of 320, and had become favourites to win when Harbhajan Singh was introduced. In his second over he got Jayawardene out with a doosra, which turned the game on its head. With a weak lower middle order to follow him, Jayawardene will want no such repeats. This is a contest that will make the middle overs gripping.