MOHALI, India, (Reuters) - India beat Pakistan by 29 runs yesterday to reach the World Cup final to face co-hosts Sri Lanka in an all-Asia final in Mumbai on Saturday.
Sri Lanka stand one match away from reaping the benefits of their decision to devote more than two years to prepare for the World Cup.
After the disappointment of losing to Australia in the rain-affected 2007 final, the 1996 champions made sure they would get another crack at the title, against either India or Pakistan, after beating New Zealand by five wickets on Tuesday.
Read more“It means a lot to us, this is what we planned for over two years once we finished 2007, once we missed the great opportunity,” captain Kumar Sangakkara told the post-match news conference in Colombo. “To be here was very special for us and very important.”
Sangakkara said the final on Saturday in Mumbai meant a great deal to Sri Lanka, which was embroiled in a civil war for a quarter of a century.
“Cricket has always been the panacea that healed wounds in Sri Lanka,” he said. “Whenever cricket was played, it seemed as the life was back to normal. We carried that responsibility with us whenever we played.
“We haven't won the final, we are in the final. So we need to keep our heads down and keep playing good cricket and understand that there is lot of work to do in the next three days to play in the biggest match of our lives.”
Sri Lanka, always a force at home, showed they could cope with unfamiliar conditions by claiming their first one-day series win in Australia late last year.
Although Ricky Ponting's men were not the force they had been in 2007 when they swept unbeaten through the Caribbean, the victory showed Sri Lanka had all-round strength and match winners in key positions.
