Sri Lanka overcame a behind challenge from New Zealand to win by 5 wickets and reach the Cricket World Cup final as Muttiah Muralitharan added to his record one-day wicket total in his last match on home soil. Muralitharan took two wickets, including that of the Kiwi’s top-scorer Scott Styris (57) with his last ball, and was highly praised before and after the match Tuesday by the sellout crowd at the 36,000-capacity Premadasa Stadium.
Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis each claimed three wickets as New Zealand was controlled to 217 in Colombo. Sri Lanka scored 220-5 with 13 balls remaining as Thilan Samaraweera hit the winning runs with a boundary off Andy McKay.“It’s my last game and I got a wicket with my last ball,” Muralitharan said as he left the field with figures of 2-42. “The same thing happened to me in Test cricket so I’m very happy.”
Sri Lanka, the 1996 champion, moves to the final in Mumbai on April 2, where it will meet the winner of today’s match between archrivals India and Pakistan in Mohali, India.“It’s nice to absorb all of this but it’s crucial we know we haven’t won anything yet, we’ve just qualified for the final,” Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said in the post-match ceremony. “Whoever comes along, we’ll do our best.”
New Zealand, a surprise winner over South Africa in the final eight, lost wickets at normal intervals as the batsman struggled with the pitch. Styris’s 57 lead the team, with Martin Guptill adding 39 and Ross Taylor getting 36. “We set up a great platform but ruined it by losing too many wickets at the end,” Vettori said in an on field interview. “Unfortunately we probably let ourselves down the last 10 overs with our batting.”
Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis each claimed three wickets as New Zealand was controlled to 217 in Colombo. Sri Lanka scored 220-5 with 13 balls remaining as Thilan Samaraweera hit the winning runs with a boundary off Andy McKay.“It’s my last game and I got a wicket with my last ball,” Muralitharan said as he left the field with figures of 2-42. “The same thing happened to me in Test cricket so I’m very happy.”
Sri Lanka, the 1996 champion, moves to the final in Mumbai on April 2, where it will meet the winner of today’s match between archrivals India and Pakistan in Mohali, India.“It’s nice to absorb all of this but it’s crucial we know we haven’t won anything yet, we’ve just qualified for the final,” Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said in the post-match ceremony. “Whoever comes along, we’ll do our best.”
New Zealand, a surprise winner over South Africa in the final eight, lost wickets at normal intervals as the batsman struggled with the pitch. Styris’s 57 lead the team, with Martin Guptill adding 39 and Ross Taylor getting 36. “We set up a great platform but ruined it by losing too many wickets at the end,” Vettori said in an on field interview. “Unfortunately we probably let ourselves down the last 10 overs with our batting.”
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