Catastrophe has struck India at Wankhede as Sachin Tendulkar edged a Lasith Malinga delivery into the safe hands of Sangakkara.Shocking start from India as Virender Sehwag was dismissed before he could open his account.
Mahela Jayawardene's stupendous century in a big ticket final has left India a daunting 275 runs target in the ICC CWC 2011.
A magnificent ton from Mahela Jayawardene ensured that Sri Lanka ended their innings on a high with Zaheer Khan's last over of the innings going for 18 runs. Sri Lanka scored as many as 63 runs in the powerplay and ensured that India have a huge total to chase under lights in the finals. What a dramatic turn around. But India have the batting firepower to achieve the target and Navjot Singh Sidhu fancies MS Dhoni and Co. to finish things in style.
Ian Chappell: Not a easy target but you expect the best batting line up in the tournament to chase that down. Can India really stand and be counted when it matters the most? Or will Sri Lankan spinners seal the day in their favour? ESPNSTAR.com would love to have your comments:
Our correspondent in Mumbai, Rajarshi Gupta says: The pitch seems to have eased out as the game progressed. If Kulasekara could play his shots without much fuss, there is no reason why India's batsmen can't do it. After all, the batsmen were supposed to win us the Cup. Here is their chance.
Over 39.5: Out! Kapugedera departs after Raina takes a simple catch at short extra cover. India holds the edge as we move towards the business end of first innings.
Over 38.1: Huge appeal but Simon Taufel turns down Yuvraj Singh's plea. Decision Review taken by India and Yuvraj is confident. Replays shows Samaraweera is plumb in front of the wickets and Simon Taufel overturns his decision. Timely wicket. Samaraweera departs after 21 runs of 34 balls.
Over 36: Oh boy! Another surprise from MS Dhoni. After Sachin Tendulkar, it's the turn of Virat Kohli to have a go with the ball. But, a well set Mahela cuts him to four on the very first ball. Is Jayawardene playing a Aravinda De Silva's knock of 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup final?
Meanwhile, Mahela Jayawardene compiles a well deserved fifty and is well aplauded by sizeable Sri Lanka fans in the stands. What a performer Jayawardene has been for Sri Lanka over the years.
Our correspondent in Mumbai, Rajarshi Gupta says: Rajpaksa's son in the stands, flanked by Sri Lankan fans. And boy, are they noisy or what. But they are getting it right back from the Indians.
Over 31.3: Meanwhile, India takes a decision review but loses. Thilan Samaraweera misses the ball but it kisses on the pads and then bounces up in air as Dhoni collects it over the stumps. Yuvraj is unsure if at all it touched the bat but MSD goes for a review after some serious consultation. Replays show no evidence of the ball touching the bat and Aleem Dar's decision remains.
Over 27.5: (Sri Lanka 122/3) Yuvraj Singh does the trick again. Kumar Sangakkara, who was looking well set for a big one, goes for a cut shot through covers but gives a thick edge, only to see Mahendra Singh Dhoni take a good catch. Huge wicket for India in the context of the game. Sangakkara 48 runs, 67 balls.
Over 16.3: The Turbanator has done the trick for India. What a delivery! Sensational stuff from Harbhajan Singh as Sri Lanka's Tilakaratne Dilshan departs after scoring 33 runs of 49 balls faced. Mahela Jayawardene comes to the crease with Sangakkara at the other end.
Over 15th: First bowling change as Harbhajan Singh comes into attack. Meanwhile, it has been a slow but a steady progress for Sri Lanka. Tilakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara are banking more on playing straight rather than going for something flashy.
Over 13th: S Sreesanth gets an official warning from Simon Taufel for running on the danger area. Can't see much wrong by Sreesanth but it's a cruel game.
Earlier, Zaheer Khan's admirable new-ball bowling helped India restrict Sri Lanka significantly in the early exchanges of today's World Cup final in Mumbai.
Zaheer returned miserly figures of 5-3-6-1, including the wicket of the previously prolific Upul Tharanga, as Sri Lanka struggled to 58 for one in 15 overs after choosing to bat first on a good pitch.
Zaheer bowled with outstanding control in his opening spell, and was backed up by impressive fielding in the off-side ring.
It was enough to stifle Tillekeratne Dilshan and, in particular, Tharanga.
After three maidens, the left-hander succumbed to the first delivery of Zaheer's fourth over when a touch of movement away off the pitch took an outside edge and was very well caught by Virender Sehwag, away to his right at first slip.
Tharanga's two runs had eaten up 20 balls. But number three Kumar Sangakkara then pushed his first ball from Zaheer for a single to mid-on, as the left-armer conceded his first run from his 20th delivery.
Shantha Sreesanth, called in for his first match since the opening fixture of the tournament 42 days ago - when India took on co-hosts Bangladesh in Dhaka - also gave little away initially but began to look flaky in his second spell as Sangakkara beat the in-field for successive boundaries.
India nonetheless stuck to seam through all-but the last over of the mandatory and bowling powerplays, Munaf Patel bowling in tandem with Sreesanth as Zaheer took a well-earned breather.
The hosts had sprung a surprise by recalling Sreesanth for the injured Ashish Nehra.
Sri Lanka were still more adventurous in their selection, with four changes - only one enforced - from the team which beat New Zealand in Tuesday's semi-final in Colombo.
Tall off-spinner Suraj Randiv had replaced the injured Angelo Mathews in the squad, and came into the team - along with batsman Chamara Kapugedera and seamers Nuwan Kulasekera and Thisara Perera.Our Mumbai correspondent, Rajarshi Gupta says : Just heard the pitch will not change much during the course of the game. Not expected to turn square. If that is true, Sri Lanka will have to be wary of a mighty Indian batting order.
Our correspondent in Mumbai, Rajarshi Gupta says : Extremely humid conditions. Locals tell me the heat is very unlike Mumbai. More like Chennai. Test for India's fitness.
DhoniSpeak: "The team is really calm and composed for this clash. We are coming off two good games so there is enough confidence.
SangakkaraSpeak: "We are very sure of ourselves and whatever total we manage will be good enough!"
TOSS
Kumar Sangakkara won a bizarre toss at the start of today's World Cup final against India.
The noise from a capacity 33,000-plus crowd, which greeted the flip of the coin by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, stopped match referee Jeff Crowe hearing Sangakkara's initial call.
It's a new ground with a newly-laid track which has really small boundaries. Behind the stumps, the distance is just 50 meters to the fence and former England captain Nasser Hussain feels even he could hit a six behind the keeper.
Pitch Report: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly says early movement will help fast bowlers but spinners will come into play in the later stages as there is a tinge of grass and red soil that could assist the slow bowlers.
The hosts chose Shantha Sreesanth at the expense of off-spinner R Ashwin, with left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra unavailable because of a finger injury.
For Sri Lanka, Muttiah Muralitharan was unsurprisingly passed fit for the final match of his record-breaking international career despite his various recent ailments.
Sri Lanka's team was much-changed, though, from the one which beat New Zealand in Tuesday's semi-final in Colombo.
Out have gone spinners Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath and batsman Chamara Silva - as well as injured all-rounder Angelo Mathews.
Like India, Sangakkara favoured pace - meaning recalls for Thisara Perera and Nuwan Kulasekara.
Suraj Randiv, the tall off-spinner called into the squad to replace Mathews, also got an unexpected chance on the biggest stage.
Chamara Kapugedera came in for Silva.
Teams:
India: V Sehwag, SR Tendulkar, G Gambhir, V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (captain)†, SK Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, MM Patel, S Sreesanth
Sri Lanka: WU Tharanga, TM Dilshan, KC Sangakkara (captain)*†, DPMD Jayawardene, TT Samaraweera, CK Kapugedera, NLTC Perera, KMDN Kulasekara, SL Malinga, S Randiv, M Muralitharan
Welcome to the Big one!
The atmosphere in and around the Wankhede Stadium needs to be seen to be believed!
Excited, frenzied fans and paramilitary forces have stationed themselves at entry points and there is almost a pandemonium kind of a feel. Roads have been blocked around the stadium and the whole of South Mumbai has become a no-fly zone.
Interestingly, a 35-year-old cycle-rickshaw driver showed his true spirit by riding nearly 1,500 kilometres from his home in northern Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai after being promised a free ticket by a local politician. One hopes the politician delivered!
The moment the Indian and the Sri Lankan team arrived at the venue in their team bus, at around 1.30 pm, cheering voices greeted them. But the Indian players seemed so focussed, they hardly lifted their heads up to acknowledge the good wishes! Maybe listening to calming music will soothe their nerves.
The President of India, Pratibha Patil, and her Sri Lanka counterpart Mahindra Rajapakse will grace the occasion.
The security appears so water-tight that even coins are not alowed inside the stadium.
Approaching milestones
1. Sachin Tendulkar (2965) requires just 35 runs to become the first batsman to aggregate 3000 runs against Sri Lanka in ODIs.
2. Kumar Sangakkara (1946) needs 54 runs to become the second Sri Lankan after Jayasuriya (2899) to complete 2000 runs in ODIs against India.
3. Mahela Jayawardene (1886) requires 114 runs to complete his 2000 runs in ODIs against India.
4 Muttiah Muralitharan (74) needs just one wicket to become the first bowler to complete 75 wickets against India in ODIs.
5. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5958) requires 42 runs to complete his 6,000 runs in ODIs.
6. Gambhir (3976) needs 24 runs to complete his 4,000 runs in ODIs.
7. Virat Kohli (1919) needs 81 runs to complete his 2,000 runs in ODIs.
8. In case of a hundred, Sachin (99) would become the first batsman to complete 100 international centuries.
9. Sachin (6958), in case of 42 runs more, would become the first to aggregate 7000 runs at home.
10. Sachin (464) requires 36 runs to complete his 500 runs in the present edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup.
11. Sachin, in case of 500 runs, would be the first player to aggregate 500 runs in a World Cup competition three times, having previously achieved the feat in 2002-03 (673) and 1995-96 (523).
12. Virender Sehwag (380) needs 20 runs to complete 400 runs in a series/tournament for the first time in ODIs.
13. Zaheer Khan (19) is all set to become the first Indian bowler to complete 20 wickets in a single edition of the World Cup.
14. Zaheer (42 in 22), in case of three wickets, would be the leading Indian wicket-taker (45) at the World Cup.
15. Upul Tharanga (3896) requires 104 runs to complete his 4000 runs in ODIs.
16. Sangakkara (943) needs 57 runs to complete his 1,000 runs at the World Cup.
India vs Sri Lanka in ODI/World Cup - Head to Head
ODIs
India have a better record than Sri Lanka in ODIs, registering winning % of 57.26 as compared to Sri Lanka's 42.73. India have won 67 and lost 50 out of 128 played - the remaining eleven did not produce results.
India have won four and lost six out of the last ten played against Sri Lanka.
World Cup
Sri Lanka have won four and lost two out of seven played (NR 1) - winning % 66.66 for India and 33.33% for Sri Lanka.
ODIs in India
India have won 28 and lost eleven out of 42 played, the remaining three could not produce results - winning % 71.79 for India and 28.21 for Sri Lanka.
Overall World Cup
India have won 38 and lost 26 out of 66 played (NR 1 and Tied 1) - winning % 59.23.
Sri Lanka have won and lost the same number of games (31) out of 65 played (NR 2 & Tied 1) - winning % 50.00
Overall ODIs at Mumbai
India have won eight and lost six out of 14 played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - winning % 57.14.
Sri Lanka have won two and lost two out of four played - winning % 50.00.
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