Trevor Bayliss is all set for his final fling with Sri Lankan cricket. The 48-year-old Australian — after a three-and-half year stint at Colombo — will bid adieu to the coaching job after the World Cup final here on Saturday.
Nothing short of a Sri Lankan win would make him happy. Before his team stepped into the Wankhede for a net session, he sounded extremely confident, but did not stick his neck out to say that Kumar Sangakkara's team will lift the cup.
“It's a difficult assignment. We played here a couple of weeks ago and we have experience on this wicket. A lot of guys have played here before. We have got a number of guys in that team who have played in the World Cup before and Sri Lanka has won the World Cup before.
“In the last three years we have played 35 matches in India and this will be the 36th. We have beaten them on a number of occasions. Our guys are confident they can play well and win. The boys are backing themselves to win here on Saturday,” said Bayliss.
“We have fought throughout the competition. This (final) would not be any different. If we concentrate on what we do the best, then we can play some good cricket and can be very difficult to beat. Obviously, there will be a lot of pressure on India to perform at home.”
Know each other
Sri Lanka has played 42 one-dayers against India in India and has won 11, two of them in the 1996 World Cup; the semifinal at Eden Gardens by default because of crowd trouble and match referee Clive Lloyd awarding the match to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has a 1-1 record against India at the Wankhede which has staged two league matches of the World Cup.
At the press conference here, Bayliss appeared more or less assured about off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan recovering from a knee and hamstring injury to take the field for the final, which would also be his last international match.
But all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who struck the big blows against New Zealand, appears a doubtful starter. “I think Murali's chances are good. He bowled his ten overs in the semifinals and he came through that ok. He's obviously feeling a bit stiff and sore. He has the character and will to win the World Cup and I would not be surprised if he plays.''
Left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas and off-spinner Suraj Randiv will reach Mumbai as a cover for Mathews and Muralitharan. “We will give Mathews and Murali as much time to recover and prove their fitness. Mathews has strained a quadriceps muscle. But we have a balanced 15 and can bring in anyone depending upon the conditions and opposition,” said Bayliss.
On Tillakaratne Dilshan's form in the competition, the Sri Lankan coach said that the right-hander is a big match player and a fierce competitor. “He loves the challenge of the given situation. He is a true all-rounder. He has opened the bowling, opened the batting and he has kept wickets in Test matches.”
Bayliss said it has been a great experience for him working with Sri Lankan cricketers.
“The experience of being involved with this national team is amazing. Some of the world's best players like Sangakkara, Jayasuriya, Murali, Mahela and Vaas in the past have been fantastic. We have played very good cricket in the last couple of years. We have moulded into a team. I think I have played a small role in the evolution of Sri Lankan cricket.”
