A grand night out for the islanders

Sri Lanka were the better team on the day. India barely turned up. The 40 overs of the day are all that count in T20 and there is no escaping the fact that the Indians were outplayed. There is no crying over spilt milk. The Indians were outstanding in the relaxed cricket they played for a major part of the tournament, in fact, right up to the final, including in the tricky chase of 172 in the semis even if it was against the well known semi final chokers South Africa.

The final was Sri Lanka’s from almost the minute Lasith Malinga decided to take advantage of the toss. He took the right decision, which was not necessarily a bowler’s call because anyone may have done the same in the slightly damp conditions which had led to the pitch being covered long enough to freshen up the surface somewhat. The upper hand was Sri Lanka’s although Virat Kohli played a brilliant knock to try and set up a defendable target.

Malinga swung the game himself with fine death overs in which his trademark Yorkers were more off stump or beyond than the toe crushing Test match line of attack. The dot balls he sent down or the mere single he gave away were the key to keeping even a frustrated Kohli quiet just. But Yuvraj seemed to give the game away in his long struggle at the crease. He looked far removed from the champion T20 batsman we have known him to be.

Form and reflexes catch up with the best of them over time. Suffice it to say the final was just not Yuvi’s day. The marvelous entertainer could hardly get bat to ball in that free swinging arc of his that can send the ball soaring over the onside with the majesty of the flight of a bird. Full credit to the Lankan bowlers for keeping him that way rather than try too much and give away a couple of freebies in the ideal arc that could rouse him back to striking form.

The final was a very straightforward story of Sri Lanka’s dominance. It was a fitting tribute to two giants of the game Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Both have given up the shortest format in an obvious concession to age and they could not have timed their farewells better than in plotting and planning the victory. They have been the brains behind Sri Lanka’s cricket for ages and it was with great dignity that they chose their path at this time of their long careers although their board may, as usual, have been unhappy about a communication gap.

Mahela might have been in poor form to the extent of going across the line to pick the only fielder within hailing distance. But these things, as we were to see earlier in the day with Yuvraj, can happen to the best of them. His brief knock was sufficient to ensure there would be no nervous yips in the chase. Sanga’s touch was there to the very end as also his firm hand on the rudder. This was one opportunity the eternal bridesmaids of the last 18 years could not lose out ton to be the resplendent bride at one of the biggest shows on turf.

India can ruminate a bit over what went wrong. Had they won, their posture would have been like that of politicians who believe victory is sufficient to clean the slate of all the scams that have gone before. Victories in the middle cancel out nothing and Indian cricket must face up to a cleansing job before IPL-7 begins. Even so, the cruelty of stone being thrown at Yuvraj’s house is not something you expect in this day and age. Some things never change in our

country.