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Cup means a lot for ‘Lanka nation’

Kumar Sangakkara is an influential captain who leads the team from the front. He has been consistent with his batting so far and has scored 417 runs from seven innings with an impressive average of 104.25.

The Lankan skipper knows India would be a formidable opponent in Mumbai for the final encounter.

He knows the hosts would be under a lot of pressure to win the title in front of their home fans and he wants to increase the pressure by putting the Indians as title favourites.

He said India will carry the “weight of expectations” going into Saturday’s World Cup final.

“India have been tagged as the favourites by almost everyone and that they’ll be looking at themselves as favorites too,” Sangakkara said in an obvious attempt to put pressure on the Indians.

“We have to play tomorrow as well as we can. Four years back we were outdone by a fantastic innings by Adam Gilchrist. This time we won’t allow that to happen and even if it happens, hopefully we will have the mental aptitude to adjust and get back in the game,” Sangakkara said at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

“We have been playing well as a unit for the last couple of years. We have to accept the fact that the Indians, for the last two years, have been tagged as the favourites by almost everyone to win the World Cup.”

He said it would be a special moment for the Islanders.

‘Everybody in the squad is excited, but it is good to see that it is a sort of controlled excitement. It is a huge occasion and the boys are determined to win it. The World Cup means a lot for the country.

“The nation has come through a very tough period. Lot of people laid down their lives and hopefully in this new future we can bring back the World Cup for Sri Lanka,’ he said.

Asked about the feeling of playing away from home in the final, he said:

“It cuts both ways. Playing in front of the home crowd adds a lot to the excitement and makes you feel proud. But the weight of expectations is also tough.

“We would have loved to play the final at home, but that’s not the way it is and we have accepted it. I am sure the Indian crowd will appreciate a good game of cricket,’ he said.

Sangakkara is also aware that his team had lost five of the seven matches against the India on home soil over the last five years.

Meanwhile their allrounder Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of Saturday’s final, with the team management drafting in offspinner Suraj Randiv to their 15-member squad.