In a delirium of exciting and incalculable ending Sri Lanka brought to earth what in the opinion of the experts was the mighty and impregnable Indian batting machine to lift the covetous Asia Cup and install themselves as the real and virtual regional champion of the game for the third time.
The Indian planning may have gone awry and their supporters at the packed-like-sardines Premadasa international stadium of Colombo may have been disappointed but on the other side there were cheers and scenes of tumult and applause for the winners whose fans were larger in number at the history-making venue than the Indians, having reached the shores of the island and packed the hotels there.
No cricket analyst would have thought that India, with a full-strength side, would not be able to canter to Sri Lanka's moderate-looking 228. In a high-voltage final this appeared to be a tiny target. Yet, the critics and commentators had not considered the tenacity and resilience, particularly on the slow dustbowl where stroke-making was difficult and perhaps the strip was tailor-made for the spinners, a perfect foil for India's own aggressive, daring and cut-and-thrust attitude in batting.
Two early dismissals of Sehwag and captain Ganguly stunned the onlookers for the Indians were pushed to back foot. Soon the artful and clever spin of Upul Chandana and Sanath Jayasuriya had trapped Laxman, back from injury, and Dravid, so much out of form in this tournament. Sri Lanka were literally and truly in the game.
Chandana, and not the reputed Muralitharan, was having fun at the dry, slow surface. Facing a vicious break and perfect length Dravid, Yuvraj and Kaif groped at that defining moment for the two combatants. Yuvraj Singh, the otherwise defiant batsman, was beaten neck and heels. He could not read the deceitful turn of Chandana's delivery. When Kaif departed, Atapattu pressed the Indians hard. This was the moment of trial and tribulations for the Indians. Even the Sri Lankan field was so well set that finding gaps was almost impossible.
Dilshan, the rather unknown off-spinner, had forced the great Tendulkar to struggle for runs. And the bowler conjure up a ball to send Sachin to the pavilion.
The Indian party was over bar the shouting even though Zaheer Khan with the muscles that he has clouted two sixers off none other than Muralitharan to show the renowned Indian upper order batsmen that the bowling could have been hit with gutsy batting and swifty-moving feet and quick wrist-work.
But still India was squeezed into submission by the superb all-round display of Sri Lanka even though the latter's batting had not put up a grandiose performance. But the Sri Lankan stern nerves, razor-sharp fielding and intelligent bowling won them the day and the sought-after Asia Cup.
The fans of the game at the pavilion and the TV watchers were flabbergasted by the Indian fall from grace. Had they gone to the final with poor paper work? Had they taken the island neighbours light? If the bowling was tolerably good the batting fell like a house of cards.
Many are of the opinion that most of the players, minus Tendulkar and Irfan Pathan, are getting stale or are being wearied out by maximal cricket round the year. Sehwag, Laxman, Dravid known as a 'wall' in India and difficult to be dislodged, Yuvraj and Kaif have not been able to click in this tournament. The bowling too had been far from impressive and penetrating. Harbhajan Singh had not the tricks to baffle the batsmen. Anil Kumble was rested as ineffective, even when the wicket was slow for all to see.
The Indian observers of the game and the fans must have plunged into despair over the team's stumble. Under pressure their whole machine was crushed. The scene would shortly shift to another battle against the South Africans. It is too early to make a forecast but cricket watchers would be keen to see the pack's revival and retrieval from a sorry decline.
For Sri Lanka also another challenge is to be met. The South Africans have arrived and the duels, both the Tests and ODIs, will be interesting. After the hosts' success in the Asia Cup the Sri Lankans' tails will be up. The South Africans too have brought a balanced side. The outcome will decide global ratings in both versions of the game.
The Pakistan squad, having failed to reach the final of the Asia Cup, has returned home and Captain Inzamamul Haq appears satisfied with the overall display given by the players in the competition. The erroneous bonus points certainly tilted the scales against the national outfit but then it is no use shedding crocodile tears now. Pakistan's delegates at the Asian Cricket Council caucus did not raise any objection to the chalked up rules. All will agree that the winners had to carry away the points and not India the losers in the needle match, but it was India which got the bonus to move to the final.
However, Pakistan's batting was unplanned for a score of 320 or 330 on a flat wicket would have denied India the advantage for a surprising entry into the final. Then Pakistan lapsed into errors to allow India to cross the margin needed for the points.
Then why the formation miserably performed in the first test of strength against Sri Lanka in the Super League. That deprived the former of the crucial bonus.
The foreign coach, Bob Woolmer, has a Himalayan task on hand to bring consistency in the batsmen and hone up the fielding. Besides, the bowling needs a lot of hard work. Why should Mohammad Sami, otherwise a good trier, set a record of wides and complete his over in 17 balls? Shoaib Akhtar also was not much of a success in the Colombo confrontations.
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