COMMENT

Sangakkara's captaincy top class

The Sri Lankan cricketers sent the country into raptures and ecstasy when they pushed aside New Zealand in the first semi-final on Tuesday to take their rightful place in the 2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium.

Watching, cheering and enjoying every bit of the action was Sri Lanka's sports loving President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his two sportsmen sons Namal and Yoshitha.

When Thilan Samaraweera, who was all nerves - and who was not hit the winning runs, all hell broke loose. The Sri Lankans who were soaking up the tense action played out at the R Premadasa Stadium and outside were seen hugging and kissing each other and like in the blurb of SLT Mobitel were proudly chanting - I am Sri Lanka.

Partying

Sri Lankans wherever they were, even abroad would have been doing the same and partying through the night and singing - we are the champions.

Fireworks and fire crackers lit up the night sky and made deafening sounds right round the stadium and outside and all along the roads. Trishaws and cars were tooting their horns and it was one big din.

The roads that were deserted, buses and trains that were running empty suddenly came alive and it was a mass of humanity, cheering Sri Lanka's entry into the final.

Their heroes

And the cricketers were their HEROES. Everything else was second. Every Sri Lankan joined hands in celebration and it warmed the cockles to watch such unity.

To recap on the game and initially we must congratulate skipper Kumar Sangakkara for his high class captaincy. He was ruthless from the first ball and it was obvious the way he handled his attack.

Although the early advantage was Kiwis due to his losing the toss, he never allowed the batsmen to have a look at the bowling and settle down by shuffling his bowlers around.

Telling effect

And his bowlers - Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitheran and Tillekeratne Dilshan obliged with telling effect to manacle the batsmen and not let them cut loose.

Then when he came in at the fall of Upul Taranga, he calmed the usually aggressive Dilshan and together they played sensible cricket, pushing the singles and the twos and hitting over when the hittable deliveries came along.

In fact it was the 120-run stand between him and Dilshan that put the team on Victory Street. For his wonderful efforts with bat and brain he was rightly adjudged the man-of-the-match.

Consultation

His every captaincy move was tops and he capped it all, obviously in consultation with former Sri Lanka skipper who steered the team to the semis in 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean and now vice captain Mahela Jayawardena getting him to come in as runner with the injured Angelo Mathews.

That was a master class move. When Mathews came in, the Lankans were on the skids at 185 for 5. It was tense and some watching would certainly have missed a few heart beats. To the discerning, Jayawardena's presence was inspiration and encouragement to Samaraweera and Mathews.

Jayawardena was seen constantly talking to the batsmen and telling them what exactly they should do. And coming from the highly respected and brilliant thinking team mate, Samaraweera and Mathews did exactly that.

Sigh of relief

And they had everyone heaving a sigh of relief and had their normal heart beats restored when they took the team to victory and a fling with either, India or Pakistan in the final.

For champion spinner Muttiah Muralitheran it was a sad and tearful farewell. He was chaired by his teammates and taken round the stadium to resounding cheers by the spectators.

He was finishing his illustrious career in the country. But he must crown it all by bowling Sri Lanka to victory at the 2011 World Cup in India. He did not show any discomfort when bowling and he must bowl his heart and soul out in the final, bring Sri Lanka victory and underline his tag as - THE GREATEST'.