Between Sri Lanka and its third World Cup final stands New Zealand, the World Cup over-achiever which has made a habit of gate-crashing into the last-four, but never beyond, in the premier event.
New Zealand bushwhacked South Africa in Mirpur to enter is sixth Cup semifinal and on paper the contest between the Kiwis and the Lankan Lions would appear to be governed by the stark logic of the food chain: ominously tilted in favour of the carnivores.
Sri Lanka is an outfit better-rounded; its premier batsmen have been on a rampage; its bowling variety and three-pronged spin attack has time and again tightened the tourniquet on the opposition; and the site of the semifinal is the R. Premadasa, a Lankan stronghold if ever there was one.
Impressive record
The co-host has won 50 of the 82 ODIs it has played here. Against New Zealand at the Premadasa, Sri Lanka holds a 5-1 winning advantage.
The last time the two teams met, in the league phase, Sri Lanka registered a comprehensive win by 112 runs, as skipper Kumar Sangakkara struck a hundred and Muttiah Muralitharan dismantled the Kiwi chase with four for 25.
For Murali, any match from here on holds the bitter promise of being his last, and the off-spinner was once again on the list of fitness suspects on the eve of the semifinal.
Having strained his hamstring in the earlier game against New Zealand, Murali recovered in time for the quarterfinal against England on Saturday, bowling his full quota, at the end of which he was seen limping.
Sangakkara said the two injuries were unrelated — it was Murali's quadriceps which was under the scanner this time — and that a call on the world's most successful bowler would be taken on Tuesday morning.
Same pitch
The pitch used for the semifinal will be the same one on which Sri Lanka's openers amassed an unbeaten partnership of 231 chasing against England, which pretty much means that winning the toss and batting first would have a limited bearing on the ultimate result.
New Zealand last played Sri Lanka in an ODI at the Premadasa Stadium in 2009 when the visiting side, in pursuit of 216, was shot out for 119 under lights.
New floodlights and a raised track mean that a similar fate might not have to be endured this time, and New Zealand, after facing the horrors of the sub-continent in its last tours to Bangladesh and India, looks a side capable, at least, of mounting a fight.
Donald's compliment
Tim Southee — whom Kiwi bowling coach Allan Donald considers to have the potential of becoming the best swing bowler in the world — has been a revelation.
Southee's 15 victims in the tournament include Jacques Kallis, caught magnificently by Jacob Oram at the boundary, the wicket starting South Africa's familiar slide at Mirpur.
Oram himself has snared 12 and while skipper Daniel Vettori though hasn't been in the wickets, has been miserly (economy rate 3.60) and led the team admirably. Nathan McCullum too has been effective with his off-breaks.
New Zealand's openers pale in comparison to the prolificacy of Sri Lanka's, but Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum have combined for 353 in seven matches.
Ross Taylor has been the team's most consistent batsman, and Jesse Ryder, with an 83 in the quarterfinal, looks to be getting into a groove.
In the 2007 World Cup, Sri Lanka thrashed New Zealand by 81 runs in the semifinal at Kingston, Sangakkara's hundred and Murali's four-wicket haul being the major factors in the result, which prompts one to mull over yet again on the importance of Murali taking the field on Tuesday.
The teams (from):
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dilhara Fernando, Rangana Herath, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thisara Perera, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva and Upul Tharanga.
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Daryl Tuffey, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Nathan McCullum, Andy McKay, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson and Luke Woodcock.
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