Farveez Maharoof achieved one of cricket's rarer feats by taking a hat-trick yesterday as Sri Lanka cantered to a seven-wicket win with 75 balls to spare. Returning for his second spell, Maharoof became the third Sri Lanka bowler to claim three wickets in as many balls when he took the wickets of Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar and Zaheer Khan with the score on 189. Chaminda Vaas has done it twice and Lasith Malinga, rested for this game, achieved the feat before for their country.
"I was over the moon, to be honest," said Maharoof, who finished with five for 42, in a post-match television interview. "I was thanking a few people who are really important in my life. Kumar [Sangakkara] took a marvellous catch to get the hat-trick. "I am really happy for the team. We are in a good situation now so hopefully one more good game [in the Asia Cup final] and we will be winners again."
Sevens dot balls after MS Dhoni had been run out, Maharoof first had Jadeja caught off the first ball of his ninth over. Next, Kumar inside-edged one on to his off-stumps and Sangakkara then took a brilliant catch behind the stumps to get rid of Zaheer Khan and send the home crowd wild. "We got off to a decent start ... 160 odd on the board with six wickets in hand, we were looking at 270 odd, but Maharoof came on and turned it around completely," said Dhoni, whose side were bowled out for 209. "We did not have much chance after that. We have done well so far, batsmen have got runs. Would have been nice to carry confidence into the final, but unfortunately that did not happen."
If the seven-wicket victory was a dress rehearsal for tomorrow's Asia Cup final, then India should beware. Sri Lanka will enter the game with a psychological advantage. They will start as favourites to land a second consecutive continental crown, a trophy that their neighbours from across the Palk Straits have failed to win in 15 years. Sangakkara, the Sri Lanka captain who, along with Mahela Jayawardene, struck classy half-centuries, admits the win will give his team's confidence a major boost ahead of the final, but he guarded against complacency. "I think it has done our confidence a lot of good, batting under lights and winning the game," he said in a post-match television interview.
"But a final is a final. You got to come back, start from scratch and really do well. India is a great side, but the way we've performed in this series, I think the guys can be very happy and very confident about what they have done. We did very well overall to come back into the game as at one stage India looked as if they would get to about 260, 280. Overall a great performance, but we got to regroup and re-perform in two days' time."
India have a poor record in tournament finals with 19 defeats in their last 23 appearances. They have met Sri Lanka in their last three finals and lost twice, so Dhoni will be hoping to level the scores. "We have done well in the series so far and the batsmen, most of us, are among runs," Dhoni said. "Even in this game most of us got starts, but couldn't really convert it into a big innings. "So I don't think it [this defeat] will hamper our confidence. We need to regroup and work on the areas where we need to improve. So let's hope for the best."
India's rehearsal for the final was always in disarray once they lost four wickets without a run being added to the scorecard. From a healthy four for 189 in the 38th over, they were bowled out 20 runs later. Chamara Kapugedera started India's slide with a direct hit that caught Dhoni (41) out of his crease as he darted for a quick single. It brought an end to the 79-run partnership between the India captain and Rohit Sharma (69) before Maharoof took centre stage.
* Compiled by Ahmed Rizvi, with agencies
