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Sri Lanka v India, Asia Cup final, Kurunegala
Sri Lanka aim to break final jinx
The Preview by Nishi Narayanan
May 9, 2008
Match facts
Sunday, May 11, 2008Start time 10.00 (local), 04:30 (GMT)
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The Big Picture
This is the fourth time in as many Asia Cups that India and Sri Lanka are going to meet in the final. India has won each of the previous three matches and Sri Lanka will hope that playing this edition at home will help them reverse the trend.India, though, have been by far the best of the subcontinent sides and haven't dropped a single game since the tournament began in 2004. This year they have continued to win convincingly - twice by more than 180 runs and twice by five or more wickets. They beat Sri Lanka by 29 runs and by eight wickets in the league stage. Their top order is brimming with runs and three Indians lead the wicket-taking list.
Asia Cup form guide
India - WWWWWWSri Lanka - WLWWLW
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Team news
In their last match India dropped out-of-form medium-pacer Amita Sharma for Snehal Pradhan, who picked up 3 for 21 on debut. But it is unlikely India will go for an inexperienced bowler to open their attack in the final, so Sharma should find a place. But Anangha Deshpande and Gouher Sultana may replace Thirush Kamini and Priyanka Roy, who have hardly scored in the tournament.India (probable) 1 Karu Jain (wk), 2 Jaya Sharma, 3 Rumeli Dhar, 4 Mithali Raj (capt), 5 Amita Sharma, 6 Anagha Deshpande, 7 Jhulan Goswami, 8 Rumeli Dhar, 9 P Seema, 10 Gouher Sultana, 11 Neetu David.
Sri Lanka dropped legspinner Sadamali Kumuduni for offspinner Janakanthy Mala for their last two games and it is likely they will go with Mala, who took four wickets at an average of seven, for the final.
Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Dedunu Silva, 2 Chamari Polgampola, 3 Dilani Maodara (wk), 4 Shashikala Siriwardene (capt), 5 Suwini de Alwis, 6 Eshani Kaushalya, 7 Shiromala Weerakkody, 8 Inoka Galagedara, 9 Deepika Rasangika, 10 Janakanthy Mala, 11 Chamani Seneviratna.
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Stats and trivia
Quotes
"She has the slow loop of an offspinner and on a turning wicket she can give a lot of problems."Mithali Raj, India's captain, on their promising new offspinner Pujare Seema.
Nishi Narayanan is a staff writer at Cricinfo
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Staff writer Nishi studied journalism because she didn't want to study at all. As she spent most of the time at J school stationed in front of the TV watching cricket, her placement officer had no choice but to send out a desperate plea to the editor of Cricinfo to hire her. Though some of the senior staff were suspicious that a diploma in journalism was the worst thing that could happen to Cricinfo, and she did nothing to allay those fears, she continues to log on everyday and do her two bits for cricket.
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