Sanga could rightly say “I did it my way”

Richard Dwight

The 36-year-old Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara of Trinity College and ‘NCC’ Cricket Club, proved beyond reasonable doubt “that the difference between the possible and the impossible is to be measured by man’s will.”

This we did witness on Thursday over the TV screen in the Champions Trophy Tournament match – where Sri Lanka in a decisive encounter were up against the formidable English team, who were on their performances, heavily tipped to carry aloft the trophy. True to form, England ran up a match winning total of 293 for 7 wickets. None did seem to give Sri Lanka a semblance of a chance of outdoing England, especially in their miserable showing against a low scoring match against the Kiwis, which they lost with Sanga excelling on 68.

But in a must win situation, for otherwise Sri Lanka would be eliminated from going further in the tournament – the Sri Lankan cricketers took many by surprise by turning things around to bring a magnificent victory to humble the overriding English team. This was mainly due to the stylish, pleasing to the eye batsmanship of Kumar Sangakkara who made an unbeaten 134. His fluency with caressing the ball to move along the turf to the fence – his passion for cricket and thirst for runs, was indeed incredible, we are not here forgetting the belligerent contribution of Nuwan Kulasekera, who sent early was 58 not out.