Sri Lankan hopes rekindled after India win

Sri Lanka's World Cup hopes have been rekindled after India's seven-wicket win against New Zealand at Centurion on Friday.

Sri Lanka, currently on 7.5 points, can now qualify for the semi-finals if they defeat Zimbabwe on Saturday.

If they win they will face Australia in the first semi-final on Tuesday at Port Elizabeth.

However, after two confidence-crushing Super Six defeats, victory will not be a formality.

Marvan Atapattu, tipped to take over the Sri Lanka captaincy after the World Cup, believes that Sri Lanka can grasp their opportunity.

"I am sure we'll come out and play well again on Saturday," said Atapattu.

"This team has shown remarkable resilience in tough times, and under pressure. Every one of us is motivated to give everything we have in this make or break match."

Atapattu is still ruing Sri Lanka's shock defeat against Kenya, a loss that has plagued their World Cup ever since.

"One game ruined the trip for us," he admitted. "It's this one game against Kenya that would have done a world of difference.

"Something went wrong, obviously. It was the batting ... we batted like amateurs. I felt ashamed because I couldn't face Sanath (Jayasuriya) or Aravinda (de Silva). I felt I had let the team down."

Meanwhile, Zimbabwean skipper Heath Streak, who said on Thursday that off-field politics had undermined his side's World Cup campaign, believes his side can end with a farewell win.

"We've got to put our thinking caps on for the next game, but unfortunately we're out of contention for the semi-finals," he said after Kenya completed a seven-wicket win earlier in the week.

"We've got one game to go and we've still pride to play for"

Zimbabwe will hope that Andy Flower, their star player during the past decade, will produce one more match-winning performance in his final international performance.

Sri Lanka could make changes to the final eleven, possibly recalling Hashan Tillakaratne who missed the India game with a hamstring injury, and also tinkering with their fast bowling attack.

Sanath Jayasuriya, who has been hampered with injury and health problems during the past week, is expected to play having recovered from a severe bout of tonsillitis.

Sri Lanka:

Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Hashan Tillakaratne, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando, Prabath Nissanka

Zimbabwe: Alistair Campbell, Craig Wishart, Dion Ebrahim, Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Tatenda Taibu, Andy Blignaut, Heath Streak (captain), Doug Marillier, Douglas Hondo, Henry Olonga