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Letter of the Day

23 July, 2001

India Vs Sri Lanka - Third Match
India wins it!

What sort of match was this. Was it really a thriller or was it made into one. In the end both sides were trying to lose. INDIANS WIN IN THE END! They lost didn't they?

Needing 30 runs in the last 30 balls with 5 wickets in hand, Indians did manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (a cliche, I know but how else would you explain this). On his part Jayasuriya tried everything in his hands to give a victory to India.

And how can one explain his action of persisting himself with the bowling when he was conceding enough runs to bring the Indian sides so close to victory? Dharmasena and Arnold were bowling miles better than him.

Why didn't he allow Arnold to carry on? How can one explain three "MISSED CHANCES" in the last two overs when Kalu "couldn't" stumps twice and Gunawardne couldn't take a simple catch?

And even then Indians did not take advantage of it! With three wickets and two overs to go needing 17 runs, the Indian pair of Dhige and Dravid did not even try to hit over the heads. This match had all the ingredients of creating doubts, I am afraid.

Signed
Saif


Previous letters:
2nd July - 4th July - 7th July - 12th July - 16th July


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