Daijiworld Media Network

Dhaka, Apr 6: Namaste! The stage is set for a cracking final! 16 teams fought hard out of which two teams have got the better of every other team to make it to the title decider tonight. India and Sri Lanka held their nerves in their respective semifinals and this grand finale will be no short of entertainment. Before we go any further, I have some bad news folks. The rain has just started to come down and the square has been covered. However, it's not all that bad and let's keep our fingers crossed and it clears up well in advance for the game to start on time.

The last time these two teams met in a Championship final, India emerged victors. Sri Lanka are no strangers when it comes to making it to the final of a mega event. However, they haven't quite had the luck to go past the last hurdle and clinch the title. After their loss in the 50-over final, Sri Lanka lost to West Indies quite dramatically in a low-scoring thriller to stun their crowd in their own backyard. With this being the last T20 Cup for Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, the side would love to pull their socks up and give their legends a happy farewell.

This tournament has a bit of a jinx. No team has won it for the second time. With India already clinching the inaugural edition in 2007, Sri Lanka could well take some hope out of it to prevail tonight. Now over to road to the final. India haven't lost a game so far in the tournament, with four Super-10 wins over Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh and Australia respectively and a semifinal win over South Africa. Sri Lanka though have been tested on a few occasions. South Africa came close to getting over the line in their first game and England went on to pull off a stunning run chase a few days later. However, their wins over Netherlands and New Zealand were quite comprehensive before a rain interrupted semifinal clash against West Indies which they won by the D/L method. So all to look out for in this all important

Sri Lanka have won the toss and have opted to field

Dhoni: 'Every year the approach has changed and cricket is evolving. We were looking to bowl first as well. We have chased well. We are playing with the same squad. Virat bats at No. 3 and more often than not, if you score the number of runs you see, the lower-order does not have to bat. The 130-135s are the tricky targets to chase down. We had a good game against South Africa. Sri Lanka are a quality side and we respect them.'

Malinga: 'I enjoyed the last two games and I am looking forward to this one. We will bowl first. Seekkuge is out and Thisara comes in for him. We've got good experience playing with Mahela and Sanga. We need to do something special for them today.'

Both teams are on the ground, and getting ready for the big game. The outfield seems to be in a good condition.
Ok, some more positive news now. Toss will take place at 7:10 PM local time (6:40 PM IST) and play will start at 7:40. No overs lost.

Good news, the rain has stopped for the moment and some covers are being removed.
The drizzle has become steady. There are some dark clouds still hovering over the stadium. The toss will definitely be delayed.

Oopsy! The rain is back again. It's not all that heavy but good enough to keep the covers on.
The good news is that, the rain has stopped now.

Commentator Harsha Bhogle tweets: 'there is a reserve day. if the game starts as a 20 over game & is interrupted, will resume from point of interruption & go on for 20 overs' contest.

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Kushal Janith Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga(c)

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma

Match Preview

So this is it. The celebrations from three years before could be repeated. The clocks are turning back one more time to allow millions of fans across the sub-continent another reason to drown in the euphoria of cricketing glory and unbridled joy.

And here they are again. April 2, 2011, India vs Sri Lanka in the final of the World Cup. April 6, 2014: India vs Sri Lanka in the final of the World T20.

Much has happened in those three years. Much has changed in world cricket, much has been left behind in Indian cricket. Sachin Tendulkar has left as have some other giants, who though in white flannels, formed an integral part of a side that had gained the respect of their own fans and players around the globe.

Hit by dark accusations and rank bad performances outside Asia, MS Dhoni's world champions have drawn flak from an unrelenting media at home. A lot of that criticism has not come without sound reason and the team, packed with young stars, would have realised that. Hence, a clinical exhibition of modern day T20 skills saw India blast into the semi-finals, crushing a strong South African team into submission.
Sri Lanka on the other hand, stand on the cusp of history too. If South Africa are the perennial chokers of world cricket, Sri Lanka have made that mantle their own in major finals. After the 1996 semi-final, when the Islanders had trumped past India amidst catastrophic scenes at the Eden Gardens, they have largely struggled to get past the last hurdle.

The 2007 World Cup final against Australia, the 2011 World Cup final against India and two other World T20 finals against Pakistan and West Indies are testimony to deep rooted problems to an undoubtedly talented squad.

But this time, Sri Lanka could not have asked for any extra motivation. Three years ago in Mumbai, it was Muttiah Muralitharan who had bid farewell after Dhoni sealed the world title with a six and on Sunday night, it will be two other stalwarts, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, who say their goodbyes to T20 Internationals. Sri Lanka owe them a huge debt and the other nine players on the park would want to repay that, in style.

The stage could not be more perfect for either team. By this time next year, unless India are able to defend their crown, new world champions would have been known. Thereby, here lies a chance for two of the most successful limited overs teams in the world to slug it out. One has an array of stars, youthful and vibrant, brash and confident while the other boasts of two colossus and a few priceless warriors in the shortest format of the game.

And all of these protagonists will clash on familiar territory. Dhaka has afforded spin and bounce to the best exponents of the art and India and Sri Lanka are studded with them. Factor this - R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Rangana Herath, Sachitra Senanayake and Ajantha Mendis (if he gets a game). The pacers from either side may not have a significant role to play, for it will be the spinners who would be required to do the bulk of the job. The much revered Lasith Malinga has always struggled against India but such is his class that you can never write him off from any contest.

Both teams are top-heavy but balance nicely lower down the order. If India start with Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh, the dangerous likes of Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja bring up the rear while Sri Lanka furnish an equally destructive batting line-up - Kusala Perera, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Jayawardene, Sangakkara, Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera.

This is a battle fit for the kings. Who says T20 cricket does not need the best in the game to stretch their limits! This will be a slug fest, not devoid of the hard-fought battles within a war. Can India complete a cricketing grand slam? Can Sri Lanka lift a world title after 18 years?

The countdown has started and three hours of Sunday evening pyrotechnics in Mirpur where the party starts.