Pakiatan V Sri Lanka Twenty20 World Cup Final 2009

This was the final that was always going to take place after the attack on the Sri Lanka coach on 3rd March in Lahore, it will be an emotional but also bring both countries together and bring happiness to the country that wins. When the national anthems will be sang there will be mutual respect for all but once it is over the fierce rivalry will continue and may the best team win.

Both teams have reached the final in different manners with Sri Lanka being very convincing for 6 matches they have played and Pakistan have been the surprise team after a couple of horrendous warm up matches and then against England but in the last three matches they have been quite brilliant and deserve to be in the Lords final.

Sri Lanka will be entering the final as favorites and they have been able to handle the pressure of that where Pakistan will be underdogs which make them even more dangerous and cannot be taken lightly by Sri Lanka. Both teams having lost major finals in 2007 with Pakistan having contested the inaugural final having lost to India by 5 runs will allow them to use there experience wisely where also Sri Lanka lost to Australia in the 50 over final so both teams will want to ensure win this final after past defeats.

With the final being a knockout like the semi both Pakistan and Sri Lanka were the teams who could hold there nerve and win the pressure situations but to make a mistake tomorrow could be crucial and cost you victory.

Sri Lanka have the most complete teams with match winners in all departments with the impressive and dangerous trio of Malinga, Mendis and Murali bowling 12 out of 20 overs have been all exceptional by taking wickets and won matches for there team in this tournament. What they have done so well is they have been able to slow down the game by bowling dot balls which in increasing the run rate and also taking crucial wickets. There top four batsmen are the most classiest in world cricket and have had an excellent run and one of them have gone on to score the big innings like Dilshan did in the semi. Many have questioned if you remove the big four early what do Sri Lanka do as they do not have a big hitter after that but they have never been in that situation the likes of Silva and Mubarak will have the chance to shine in a final.

Pakistan seem to have got the perfect balance they have been looking for with there experience batting line up and the explosive Afridi at number 3 and they will hoping he can play a similar innings like he did in the semi against South Africa. Even with there batting looking strong recently it is most probably there most area of concern as the pressure could get to them and it could all fall apart. The bowling attack is outstanding even more with the return of the experience Razzaq, the impressive Gul after the first 10 overs and the deadly Shahid Afridi.

As the tournament has gone on the bowlers have dominated even more and the scores decreasing gradually so the team that can cope with the pressure from the opposition bowling attack and score runs from 12 out of 20 overs will win. If there was a pick a from each team it will be how Sri Lanka cope with Umer Gul’s bowling at the end of the innings and how Pakistan cope with Malinga and the batsman’s who can counter attack and there team will come out on top.

The way the tournament has planned out it was impossible to predict a winner as the total opposite occurs but I am sure the best team will win the second edition of the Twenty20 World Cup final will be Sri Lanka.