Mumbai:
A day before the big cricket World Cup final in Mumbai, the two teams, India and Sri Lanka, are counting their injured.
Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews, nursing a thigh injury, has been ruled out from playing at the Wankhade stadium on Saturday. During the semi-final against New Zealand, Mathews had left the field after injuring his thigh while fielding, and was visibly hampered for movement when he later came out to bat with a runner.
The presence of spin master Muttiah Muralitharan in the Lankan playing XI is also in doubt with the 39-year-old struggling through the tournament with a hamstring injury, a side strain, a troublesome knee and a groin issue. But Sri Lankan Coach Trevor Bayliss has insisted that Murali will play what will be his last international game.
Sri Lanka have called in veteran seamer Chaminda Vaas and off-spinner Suraj Randiv to cover for Mathews and Murali.
India too have their share of bleeding blues. Ashish Nehra, who played a crucial role in the semi-final win against Pakistan has an injured finger, though there was some relief when skipper MS Dhoni announced that Gautam Gambhir was fit to play at a press conference in Mumbai on Friday.
Gambhir had left the field nursing an injury during the semi-final at Mohali.
Nehra's omission means that Dhoni will have to choose from Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel and S Sreesanth. If India go in with three pacers on Saturday, then all of them will play, but if they decide to play two pacers, then it will be a toss-up between Sreesanth and Munaf, with Zaheer assured of playing.
India had to come in to the World Cup without Praveen Kumar, who was ruled out with an elbow injury. Sreesanth replaced him at the last minute.
Call us on 5664441 and record your suggestions on what India need to do to win the World Cup. We'll get Deano, Sunny & AJ to respond to you.
Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews, nursing a thigh injury, has been ruled out from playing at the Wankhade stadium on Saturday. During the semi-final against New Zealand, Mathews had left the field after injuring his thigh while fielding, and was visibly hampered for movement when he later came out to bat with a runner.
The presence of spin master Muttiah Muralitharan in the Lankan playing XI is also in doubt with the 39-year-old struggling through the tournament with a hamstring injury, a side strain, a troublesome knee and a groin issue. But Sri Lankan Coach Trevor Bayliss has insisted that Murali will play what will be his last international game.
Sri Lanka have called in veteran seamer Chaminda Vaas and off-spinner Suraj Randiv to cover for Mathews and Murali.
India too have their share of bleeding blues. Ashish Nehra, who played a crucial role in the semi-final win against Pakistan has an injured finger, though there was some relief when skipper MS Dhoni announced that Gautam Gambhir was fit to play at a press conference in Mumbai on Friday.
Gambhir had left the field nursing an injury during the semi-final at Mohali.
Nehra's omission means that Dhoni will have to choose from Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel and S Sreesanth. If India go in with three pacers on Saturday, then all of them will play, but if they decide to play two pacers, then it will be a toss-up between Sreesanth and Munaf, with Zaheer assured of playing.
India had to come in to the World Cup without Praveen Kumar, who was ruled out with an elbow injury. Sreesanth replaced him at the last minute.
Call us on 5664441 and record your suggestions on what India need to do to win the World Cup. We'll get Deano, Sunny & AJ to respond to you.
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