India are favourites, but we are not underdogs: Sanga
Tags:
M.S Dhoni and Kumara Sangakkara pose with the CWC 2011 trophy during a practice session- PTI
While conceding that India were the favourites to lift the World Cup on Saturday, Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara refused to term his own band of men as the underdogs in the mega event's summit clash at the Wankhede Stadium here.
"They (India) are a very good side and they have always been the favourites to win this tournament. They've got to the finals and everyone will be looking for them to keep going," he told a media conference here on the eve of the match.
"We are very confident of the fact that we have been one of the best sides in the tournament. At the same time India are playing great cricket. As I said before, they have always been favourites. They have the best batting side in the world and everyone in the world expects them to turn up on Saturday and win the game.
"I don't think we are underdogs as such. We are a pretty good unit. We have to understand the fact that India for the last two years have been the favourites to win the World Cup. I am sure they will be looking at themselves as favourites too. We have just come here to play as well as we can tomorrow," said Sangakkara.
Admitting his team is battling injuries to key players — Muttiah Muralitharan and Angelo Mathews — Sangakkara, without mentioning their names, said a final decision on their availability for the winners-take-all clash would be taken tonight.
"We have got few injury worries. We have flown in people for those who are injured as cover. We will make assessments as the day goes along and then make a final decision this evening as to who is fit enough to play and what's our combination is going to be," he said.
The visitors have added Chaminda Vaas and Suraj Randiv as cover for the two injured players.
Murali, for whom the game is his Swan Song in international cricket, is struggling with a knee injury while Mathews has a quadriceps injury.
Sangakkara was happy with the track prepared for the match by curator Sudhir Naik.
"The wicket looks fantastic. It looks a great wicket. Conditions here are lot more different to conditions at home. Sri Lankan wickets are a bit tougher. Here the wickets are even throughout the game. We are going to try and adapt to the conditions. It looks a very decent wicket and it looks pretty flat and we need to adapt accordingly," he said.
Post new comment