Sri Lanka wary of India resurgence in Tri-series final
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

COLOMBO (Sri Lanka): Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu has warned his team to raise their performance to prevent an Indian resurgence in the triangular one-day cricket series final here on Tuesday.

“They (India) are a tough side and can come back strongly. They have a very experienced batting line-up,” Atapattu told reporters on Monday ahead of the day-night final at the Premadasa stadium.

Sri Lanka defeated India twice and the West Indies once to top the league. India won two matches, both against a depleted West Indies.

“Results of the previous games do not count. In one-dayers, whoever makes fewer mistakes on the day will win, “ Atapattu said.

Sri Lanka will field a full-strength side for the first time in the tournament as key fast bowler Chaminda Vaas returns from a hamstring strain sustained in last month’s Test series against the West Indies.

The left-arm seamer, with 323 wickets in 250 one-dayers, will lend depth to the home team along with veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya, who needs 10 runs to join India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 10,000-run bracket in one-dayers. Jayasuriya is set to open the innings with his regular partner Atapattu, who missed Saturday’s shock defeat against the West Indies due to fever.

India are sweating over the fitness of Ganguly, who was taken to hospital on Sunday after being hit on the left arm by a rising ball from West Indies paceman Daren Powell.

A final decision on the former Indian captain will be made on Tuesday morning.

Indian skipper captain Rahul Dravid was also worried about his team’s bowling resources.

“We have to watch out as we have allowed the lower order to bat a bit long in a couple of games,” said Dravid.

India reduced Sri Lanka to 95-6 after scoring 220 in Dambulla last week, but still lost by four wickets as Upul Chandana (45 not out) and Mahela Jayawardene (94 not out) shared a match-winning stand.

The story was nearly repeated on Sunday. The West Indies, needing 263 to win, were struggling at 112-6 before lower-order batsman Denesh Ramdin (74 not out) brought his team closer to a win. The West Indies finished at 255-9 to lose by seven runs.

“It is something we are aware of and we will have to correct in the final,” Dravid said, adding the pressure was on Sri Lanka since they will be expected to win at home.●