MUMBAI // The weight of all these expectations would be too much for most people to bear. The hopes of a nation resting squarely on his spinning fingers.
The knowledge that he will have to play through the pain of an injured thigh to extend his glorious career by one more game.
And the impossible pressure of trying to satisfy the demand of his extended family, who all want tickets for the big game when none are to be had.
So how is Muttiah Muralitharan, the retiring great, coping with it all? By being just as much of a pest as normal, according to his captain, Kumar Sangakkara.
"It is hard to shut Murali up, whatever his mood is," Sangakkara said yesterday. "He is pretty upbeat, always talking, laughing and annoying most of the other players in the dressing room.
"It is great to have him in the side and hopefully have him in the team and play this World Cup final with us, because there is no other way we can have it.
"Murali's presence is always important. He is a big-match player who has been amazing for us.
"If he is fit, he will take the field. Whatever happens tomorrow we want to play for him."
Muralitharan is expected to play, but the news is not as good for Angelo Mathews. The all-rounder, who is also suffering from a strained quadriceps, is ruled out. He has been replaced in the squad by the late call-up Suraj Randiv.
The off-spinner, was playing in front of a few groundsmen and some scorers for his club side, Bloomfield, when he was summoned to India.
Switching his focus to now playing in front of nearer a billion people will take quite a leap, but at least he can fall back on good form. Randiv took 12 wickets in a first-class match last week.
The same goes for Chaminda Vaas, the veteran seam-bowler. Playing for Colts, he took seven wickets, including a hat-trick, albeit in a less-rarefied atmosphere than awaits at the Wankhede Stadium today. The injury-troubled build-up has only added to the already sizeable task facing Sri Lanka, and Sangakkara conceded that few people will be expecting his side to triumph.
"I don't think we are underdogs as such, because we are a pretty good unit," he said.
"We have to understand that the Indians have been backed as the favourites for the past two years by almost everyone.
"We are pretty confident we are one of the best sides in the tournament.
"At the same time, India have been performing very well, they have the best batting line-up in the world and some fantastic bowlers.
"I think everybody in the world expects them to turn up and win this game."
pradley@thenational.ae
