Jonathan Agnew column

[Afridi_Fan]

Jonathan Agnew column


By Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent



Sri Lanka will start as favourites, but you write off a united and focused Pakistan at your peril

This is hardly the final that the majority of Twenty20 fans would have predicted at the start of this competition - or even well into the first week when Pakistan were so comfortably beaten by England.

Pakistan have steadily gathered momentum since then, while Sri Lanka have quickly developed into the team of the tournament.

They certainly have the player who has made the most of the headlines - the leading batsman in the world when it comes to working on improvisations and tricks specifically for this form of the game, Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Once a very unexciting middle-order blocker, he has become supremely successful at Twenty20 and has developed an entirely new stroke that requires not only a great deal of skill to play, but more than a little bravery, too.

606: DEBATE
It will be a very close final - both teams have fantastic, varied bowling attacks

cricidmuslibale
He stood head and shoulders above his team-mates against West Indies, missing the first century of the tournament by just four runs, and feeding off the confidence he has picked up here and in the Indian Premier League beforehand.

Sri Lanka's worry must be that he is due to fail some time, in which case will the others rally round?

Because of their great depth in bowling resources - and the variety at Kumar Sangakkara's disposal - it is tempting to believe that Sri Lanka are capable of defending any total.

Although Lasith Malinga suffered a rare off day against West Indies, he and his fellow M's - Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis - complete a formidable trio.

They are rare, too - all three are entirely unorthodox and their passage to Test cricket without interference by the coaches is a triumph for the Sri Lankan cricket board.


Sri Lanka's unorthodox bowling attack will pose problems for Pakistan
Pakistan are now an entirely different outfit to the one that looked horribly out of sorts in the first week. Listening to their charismatic captain, Younus Khan, it is clear that the appalling events in Pakistan has focused his team on succeeding here.

They are playing for the hard-pressed and suffering cricket fans in Pakistan, and this has united the players. You can still never be entirely sure what you are going to get with Pakistan, but to have everyone pulling in the same direction is a good start.

It is also worth pointing out that, unlike the fancied South Africa, Pakistan had the flexibility and nous to change their batting order in their semi final - it won them the game.

Led by Umar Gul, Pakistan's bowling attack is also outstanding and in Shahid Afridi, they have the most destructive batsman on either side.

Sri Lanka will start as favourites, but you write off a united and focused Pakistan at your peril.


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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/8110595.stm

[so_so_fabulous]

How the hell are Srilankans the favourites? Murali with his dodgy action, you have to be joking!!! Pakistans momentum and the passion will take them to victory this time!

[Usman Chadda]

Originally Posted by so_so_fabulous How the hell are Srilankans the favourites? Murali with his dodgy action, you have to be joking!!! Pakistans momentum and the passion will take them to victory this time!

Thats uncalled for

[*sallu*]

There can never be any favourites in a final
even if its RSA vs Ireland

[aashiqmizaaj]

Originally Posted by Usman Chadda Thats uncalled for

Yes you cannot call it a no-ball.

[SheerIndianpace]

Originally Posted by so_so_fabulous How the hell are Srilankans the favourites? Murali with his dodgy action, you have to be joking!!! Pakistans momentum and the passion will take them to victory this time!

Sl can be regarded as slight fav's, which basically means nothing.

For me the team that bats first will have a better chance of winning the final.

[lalaji]

Originally Posted by so_so_fabulous How the hell are Srilankans the favourites? Murali with his dodgy action, you have to be joking!!! Pakistans momentum and the passion will take them to victory this time!

come on now...Murli has been around forever now...lets not even go there..

and so what if he call them fav? its just his opinion..who cares...

[JeeraBlade]

Betting Odds for the final (betfair.com):

Sri Lanka 1.83
Pakistan 2.20


So, Sri Lanka is favorite with bookies.

[dblock]

I think once again Pakistan will enjoy the underdog tag.

[so_so_fabulous]

Originally Posted by Usman Chadda Thats uncalled for

why? watch his action clearly, i tell you, its not an optical illusion!!

[lalaji]

Originally Posted by so_so_fabulous why? watch his action clearly, i tell you, its not an optical illusion!!

whatever ...

you win gracefully and you lose gracefully...lets not start looking for excuses even be4 the match has started...

[Inswinging Yorker]

wasnt africa favorites too. ..as a matter of fact very clear cut favorites to make 150?

the rest is history ...... gibbs and de villers still cannot solve the mystery ( how they were bowled by afridi)

[Afridi_Fan]

Originally Posted by JeeraBlade Betting Odds for the final (betfair.com): Sri Lanka 1.83 Pakistan 2.20 So, Sri Lanka is favorite with bookies.

What were the odds with the bookies that Pakistan will make it into the finals?

[so_so_fabulous]

Originally Posted by lalaji whatever ... you win gracefully and you lose gracefully...lets not start looking for excuses even be4 the match has started...

im not looking for excuses, i dont have to, i just feel sorry for all the players who played fairly and whose careers has been runined by someone who do not play fairly!!!

[JeeraBlade]

Originally Posted by Afridi_Fan What were the odds with the bookies that Pakistan will make it into the finals?

Don't know but here are the odds to win the cup:

as of June 3rd

Ind 4.7
RSA 5.0
Oz 6.0
NZ 9.6
SL 10.0
Pak 10.5
Eng 12.0
WI 19.5

as of June 13:

RSA 2.88
SL 4.7
Pakis 6.2
India 9.0
Winds 10.5
Inger 18.5
Kiwis 22.0
Irish 1,000

[kingusama92]

I love going into games as underdogs... cause we always tend to do well with that role. Inshallah the underdogs will prevail again.

[Zaz]

Underdog status suits us fine

Bring on who u like, we are pakistan and we are here to win!

[Lethal]

Who cares who is favourites.

Pakistan know what they have to do. I'm pretty sure that have been given the 'underdogs' status throughout the tournament. It is better for us.

InshaALLAH we will win the 20-20 World Cup 2009.

[darkmoon459]

I thought Indians were the Fav to win the T20 WC.

[JeeraBlade]

Originally Posted by darkmoon459 I thought Indians were the Fav to win the T20 WC.

Yes, India WAS favorite as of June 3rd;

Ind 4.7
RSA 5.0
Oz 6.0
NZ 9.6
SL 10.0
Pak 10.5
Eng 12.0
WI 19.5

but as tournament progressed, the bookies kept changing the odds.