Each team has played eight matches in the current CWC, winning six and losing one: India losing to South Africa and Sri Lanka to Pakistan.
India tied with England, and Sri Lanka’s match against Australia was rained off. So each team has won 6 of the 7 games completed – a win percent of 85.71.
Also, it is for the first time that two teams from Asia – India and Sri Lanka – will meet in the CWC Final.
Each country has won the CWC once (India in 1983, Sri Lanka in 1996), and entered the Final three times (India in 1983, 2003 and 2011; Sri Lanka in 1996, 2007 and 2011).
Apart from Australia entering the Final six times (in 1975, 1987, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007; winning in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007) and West Indies storming into the Final three times (1975, 1979 and 1983; winning the first two), no other country has entered the Final three times.
The Final in Mumbai will attract over 50,000 spectators and a global TV audience of close to a quarter billion.
The star of the show will be master batsman Sachin Tendulkar, on the verge of his 100th international century. Although he was lucky and far from faultless in the semi-final against Pakistan on Wednesday, he stood like the boy on a burning deck (in this case a seaming, spinning pitch) when other batsmen fell.
Four chances notwithstanding, he top-scored with 85, took India to the Final, and was a worthy Man of the Match.
Against his 99 hundreds in 629 internationals, Australia’s Ricky Ponting has 69 centuries in 511 internationals to his name – a whopping 30 tons behind.
In these internationals, Sachin has aggregated 32,785 runs at 49.82, Ricky coming next with 25,651 runs at 47.24.
In the history of CWC, Sachin is the only one to top 2000 runs, smacking 2260 runs at 57.94 in 44 matches. Ricky is second best, but over 500 runs behind (1743 runs at 45.86 in 46 matches). The two are top century makers: Sachin with 6 and Ricky 5.
In the 2011 CWC, Sachin (464 at 58.00 in 8 games) is three runs behind Sri Lankan opener Tillekeratne Dilshan (467 at 66.71 also in 8 games).
Sri Lanka’s captain Kumar Sangakkara is the fourth batsman to top 400 runs (417 at a century average of 104.25 in 8 matches) after England’s Jonathan Trott (422 at 60.28 in 7).
India’s all-rounder Yuvraj has become the fourth player to perform the double of 300 runs and 10 wickets in a single CWC. The other three are India’s Kapil Dev (303 runs at 60.60 and 12 wickets at 20.42 in 8 matches in England, 1983), Zimbabwe’s Neil Johnson (367 runs at 52.43 and 12 wickets at 19.42 also in 8 matches in England, 1999), and Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya (321 runs at 40.13 and 10 wickets at 31.50 in 10 matches in South Africa, 2003).
So far Yuvraj has scored 341 runs at 85.25 and taken 13 wickets at 25.23. He has to score only 29 runs in the Final today to become the only player to top 370 runs and take 13 wickets in the same CWC.
Cricket’s controversial legend Muttiah Muralitharan will bid farewell to international cricket in today’s Final. He still has to pass the fitness test, but he is one bowler who has troubled Tendulkar.
Murali needs four wickets in the Final to overtake Australian great Glenn McGrath’s record of 71 scalps at 18.19 in 39 matches in CWC.
So far Murali has taken 68 at 19.05 also in 39 matches.
His record of 1334 wickets in 482 internationals will perhaps never be broken. He holds records in both Tests (only one to capture 800 wickets) and in one-day internationals, 534. The only other bowler to top 500 ODI wickets is Pakistan’s Wasim Akram (502).
So, statistically, Tendulkar and Murali hold almost all records in international cricket. What contrasting characters: controversy-free Tendulkar and highly controversial Murali!
The more versatile bowling of Sri Lanka gives them an edge over India. Whatever the result of the Final, the enigmatic Murali will be missed.
DavidG
Guest
Certainly two of the greatest players of all-time, but it was unfortunate that there could only be one winner. It would have been great to see Murali go out on a high, but nobody would begrudge Tendulkar his moment of glory.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Some of them may choose to do so, however that is distinct from the issue of whether they should receive prize money of that size or not.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
B2 and amazonfan, I wish the rich Indian cricketers would donate 10% of their bonus to a worthy charity!
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
B2
Roar Rookie
Sir Kersi! Add a share of the 3 million $ purse also....plus don't forget how generous our politicians are with other peoples money.........there will be a wave of awards in cash and kind.... a luxury car each was promised before the match by a car manufacturer........and POONAM PANDEY a small time model who has made herself a celebrity by promising to BARE IT ALL IN PUBLIC AND IN THE TEAM DRESSING ROOM TOO!....... I am sure some of the cricketers must have been looking for her....................... Whatever........you deserve it all TEAM BLUE....... YOU HUMBLED AUSTRALIA ....YOU THRASHED PAKISTAN AND YOU WALKED ALL OVER SR ILANKA TO REACH THE PINNACLE OF GLORY.............WELL DONE ........WE ARE PROUD OF YOU.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
No problem. :D "I hope Australia has young side ready to begin a new dominant era" This will probably see me kicked out of Australia, but the country whom I really want to win in 2015 is the West Indies. :D I know, I know, it's unlikely, however I would give so much to see them returning to their former glory, and 2015 is of course the 40th anniversary of their first World Cup victory.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
I have no problem with the players receiving large amounts of prize money. Firstly, in the professional era, the value of particular tournaments is, at least partly, financially based. So the Masters golf tournament would offer much larger prize money than the Australian Masters, Wimbledon offers larger prize money than Queens, and until recently, cricketers could earn more money playing for their countries than playing non-international forms of cricket. In fact, if you combine sponsorships and endorsements, it probably still holds today; someone who made their name playing international cricket could eventually earn more in sponsorships and endorsements than someone who plays IPL, even if the latter has a larger salary. I don't see how this could be perceived as problematic at all. Secondly, India may be a poor country, but let's not kid ourselves; none of the profits made in the World Cup is going to charity. If the players don't get their share, the money will simply go to the bureaucrats. Furthermore, the fans who are responsible for the profits, did not contribute to charity themselves. The selectors however is interesting. I would have thought that the prize money, which did not go to the players, would have simply gone to BCCI.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
EACH cricketer from the 2011 CWC-winning squad received Rs one crore, which works out at approximately AUD 210,000 or almost a quarter million dollars. Even the selectors received AUD 52,500 each. And India is a poor country! Isn't winning the World Cup a mighty great reward in itself? Roarers, let's hear your roar.
jamesb
Guest
Thank you for the kind words Kersi and amazonfan It was my intention to do the first innings of the match simply because the match wasn't on FTA I also wanted to do this in the memory of Vinay Verma Congrats to India Gambhir and Dhoni were excellant, Jayawardene played a fantastic hand for the Sri Lankans After playing for India over 20 years, Tendulkar certainly deserved this world cup victory World Cup Wins West Indies 2 1975, 1979 India 2 1983, 2011 Australia 4 1987, 1999, 2003,2007 Pakistan 1 1991/92 Sri Lanka 1 1996 Next World Cup Australia 2015 I hope Australia has young side ready to begin a new dominant era
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
CONGRATULATIONS INDIA, skipper and Man of the Match Dhoni and Man of the World Cup Yuvraj -- a triple crown! Thanks for the photos, B2.
B2
Roar Rookie
Kersi I would love to keep writing BUT I am about to collapse! I have sent you some photos , including some where my son and I are trying to launch rockets to land at your doorstep with love from India!!!!!!!!
B2
Roar Rookie
Have you fallen to sleep!!!!!!!!!! SLEEP WELL! INDIA HAVE DONE IT ! SANGAKARA MUST BE REGRETTING HIS LIE!!!!!!!!!
amazonfan
Roar Guru
India won the 2011 World Cup! It will be a great time to be in India. :D
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Yes, thankyou jamesb, that is fantastic work! :D I really hope that India wins. If Sri Lanka wins, good for them, however I'm barracking for India.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you, jamesb, for keeping Foxtel-less Roarers informed. I was watching it on Foxtel in the company of about 25 friends, cheering every wicket and every four. Bravo Jayawardene. Now it's up to Sehwag and Tendulkar to give india a good start.
jamesb
Guest
sri lanka 6/ 274 after 50 overs Jayawardene 103* (88) Perera 22* (9) Khan 2/60 off 10 overs Sreesanth 0/52 off 8 overs Patel 0/41 off 9 overs H.Singh 1/50 off 10 overs Y.Singh 2/49 off 10 overs Tendulkar 0/12 off 2 overs Kohli 0/6 off 1 over India need 275 runs to win its on channel 9 right now enjoy signing off
jamesb
Guest
sri lanka 6/ 248 after 48 overs Jayawardene 100* (85) Kulasekera dismissed run out 32
jamesb
Guest
sri lanka 5/ 199 after 43 overs Jayawardene 72* Kulasekara 11*
jamesb
Guest
sri lanka 5/183 after 40 overs Jayawardene 67* Kapugedera c Raina b Khan 1 Z.Khan 2/16 from 7 overs
jamesb
Guest
sri lanka 4/ 179 after 38.1 overs Jayawardene 65* Y.Singh 2/ 44 after 8.1 overs Samaraweera lbw b Y.Singh 21