West Indies V Sri Lanka, Can West Indies defeat Sri Lanka
In a repeat of last year’s semi-final hosts the West Indies are locking horns with Sri Lanka at the Bridgetown in Barbados. The tie will be crucial to both teams as fixtures in group F, of the tournament get underway, with positions for the semifinals up for grabs.
The hosts were clinical in their dismantling of the Irish team in the opening encounter, while sneaked through in wet weather against the POMS despite conceding the joint highest total of the tournament 191 runs at the providence in Guyana. Bolstered by the return of Chris Gayle for the second match the Calypso Kings were too hot to handle when given a straight forward task of scoring 60 runs in six overs, with all their wickets intact, as the controversial Duckworth and Lewis method conspired against the Englishmen.
So the West Indians have an unblemished record in the tournament, going into the super eights yet their sternest test would be this stage as they face the Sri Lankans besides the buoyant Australians and Indians in the crucial stage of the event.
The home crowd that has come in its numbers to support the local favourites are again expected to dish out a colourful atmosphere in the Bridgetown, Barbados. The wicket for the match is expected to provide pace and bounce to the West Indian quicks led by Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul, the duo were on song against the Irishmen yet struggled against the quality of the English batsmen.
The test against the Sri Lankans would be once again stern as the likes of Mahela Jayawardene and Tilkarantne Dilshan are capable of wreaking havoc, on any given day and the Calypsos would have to guard against complacency.
Interestingly the veteran batsman Sanath Jaysuria has hardly got an opportunity of wielding his willow for a considerable time in the tournament yet, the left hander rated amongst the legends of the game was at his brilliant best in the event last year, and would once again be critical to his team’s chances as the event enters its business end, with the super eights, semi-finals and final.
The Sri Lankans are also hoping that legendary spinner Muttiah Muraliterhan will recover in time for the match against the West Indies; the off-spinner suffered an injury at the start of the event and was initially ruled out of the tournament.
However he has recovered earlier than expected and might take the field in the game against the hosts today. The Sri Lankans also have other potent bowlers in spinner Ajantha Mendis and Sanath Jaysuria, while opening bowler Lasith Malinga is one of the most difficult bowlers to get away in the death overs, die to his ability of bowling searing yorkers.
The hosts would have to rely on their home fans to give them much needed encouragement; the local crowd also got a nod of approval from the Chief executive of cricket’s governing body the International Cricket Council. Lorgat feels that the vibrant audiences at the grounds all over the three islands have given an added dimension to the colour and razzmatazzes at the games, making it turn into a carnival.
The tournament has seen a plethora of sixes and fours besides wickets tumbling in a jiffy through out the pulsating encounters that have the making of a Hollywood blockbuster due to the nonstop action that is provided in the games. Another spellbinder is in the making at Barbados today, and it looks like the team that can hold its nerve and execute the basics of the game properly, is going to emerge victorious.
The Barbadians would hope it is the turn of the Calypso Kings to avenge their defeat in the semi-final last year, let the action begin! Can West Indies defeat Sri Lanka will be answered in the next few hours and hosts are itching to get on.
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