More than 3,300 people have been forced to evacuate from affected areas with 35 missing and 33 injured
asia2 hours ago
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.
More than 3,300 people have been forced to evacuate from affected areas with 35 missing and 33 injured
asia2 hours ago
How the EB-5 Program has become the most popular way for F-1 students to live and work in the US without restrictions
supplements3 hours ago
Investors are watching the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) that is to be released on Wednesday
uae3 hours ago
The Reserve Bank of India could be lining up dollar offers on the interbank order matching system to prevent the currency from slipping to an all-time low, say traders
currency exchange3 hours ago
Waibhav Anil Kale, who worked for the UN, died while travelling in a vehicle to a hospital in the Khan Younis area from Rafah
world4 hours ago
Temperatures may reach 43 degrees Celsius in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
weather5 hours ago
The Falaj does not require pumps or machines as water flows through it thanks to gravity
uae7 hours ago
Due to the exceptional brightness of the Moon, residents of the country will be able to observe it without the need for telescopes or binoculars
uae7 hours ago