Sri Lanka has been struggling to regain its winning touch in one-day cricket since the World Cup last year and the Asia Cup tournament in Pakistan gives them a good platform to return to winning ways. The fact that they are the defending champions counts for little, but in recent years the Sri Lankans have done well in Pakistan.

Furthermore, the biggest mistake Sri Lanka’s strongest rivals India and Pakistan could do is to underestimate the defending champions, who are not short of experience and match winners. The fact that they are in the weaker group, thanks to their title win last time, does help them to warm up before the bigger games against India and Pakistan, who are in Group ‘B’

When Sri Lanka won the tournament in 2004, under the captaincy of Marvan Atapattu, the team was going through poor run of form although the sequence was not as bad as the present one.

Sri Lanka had been comprehensively beaten by Australia in the series that was played prior to the Asia Cup at home and while the confidence was at a low, the expectations weren’t much.

The hosts were drawn up against India and UAE in Group ‘B’ who played their matches in Dambulla.

Sri Lanka started the competition in style, winning their first game against UAE by a massive 116 runs and then beating India by 12 runs in a close affair in Dambulla.

After the first round games, minnows Hong Kong and UAE were eliminated and the teams returned to Colombo. Sri Lanka played Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium and were on top right from the start and beat them by seven wickets.

In the much anticipated India-Pakistan clash at R. Premadasa, Pakistan went onto post a challenging 300 for nine in 50 overs with Shoaib Malik making 143 in 127 balls with 18 fours and a six. In reply, India were restricted to 241 for eight in 50 overs.

The India-Sri Lanka re-match in the second round, like the first round game was an absolute thriller. India had made 271 with Virender Sehwag, captain Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh making half-centuries.

Sri Lanka’s reply was powered by Sanath Jayasuriya, who was returning to the side after injury. Jayasuriya made a whirlwind 130 in 132 balls with the help of 14 boundaries and a six. When Jayasuriya was batting, Sri Lanka were sitting pretty at 254 for seven with 17 runs needed off 17 balls, but the veteran skied part-timer Virender Sehwag and was caught and bowled opening up India’s chances. India won by five runs as Sri Lanka snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

That win also enabled India to qualify for the finals ahead of Pakistan.

Sri Lanka met India in the grand final at R. Premadasa Stadium and set the visitors a target of 229 with captain Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara making half-centuries.

India had a reputation for being chokers in the final and choke they did yet again chasing a soft. India had a strong batting line up that consisted of Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman, Yuvraj and Kaif and a couple of big hitters in Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh, but the batting didn’t come off and with the exception of Tendulkar, who made a half-century, only Laxman (12) and Dravid (16) managed double figures as Sri Lanka won by 25 runs.

Atapattu was named Man of the Match while Jayasuriya walked away with the Man of the Series award.

Courtesy - The Island