Google has for the first time put a Doodle to celebrate the Finals of ICC T20 Cricket World Cup being held at Bangladesh. The grand match to be played between arch rivals India and Sri Lanka is being depicted by the doodle with a series of icons one each for Batsman, Bowler, Wicket, Fielder, Crowd and the Ball.
T20 Cricket World Cup Google Doodle
The Doodle first appeared on Google Australia Homepage and is likely to appear on Google India Homepage after midnight 12AM.
While India is the only unbeaten side in the tournament, Sri Lanka haven’t fared too badly either, their only loss being against England.
India are on the cusp of a momentous record and if Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s boys win the final they would become the first team to hold all three major limited overs titles, having won the 50-over 2011 World Cup and the Champions Trophy last year.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will look to right the wrongs in major title matches, having lost the 50-over World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011.
They also ended runners-up in the World T20 2012, losing to the West Indies, and in the 2009 edition when Pakistan beat them.
India themselves have not had the rub of the green in the shortest format of the game after winning the inaugural tournament in 2007.
They have failed to reach even a single knock-out stage of the World T20 since winning in South Africa.
But an in-form Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra, who have bagged 10 and nine wickets each, juxtaposed with some solid batting from the top order, especially Virat Kohli (241) Rohit Sharma (171 runs), have turned India’s fortunes around.
Dhoni’s decision to drop Shikhar Dhawan and play Ajinkya Rahane has proved right. Though, the Indian skipper will have to take another crucial call Sunday whether to bring back Mohammad Shami or persist with the inexperienced Mohit Sharma.
The Haryana pacer, who made his T20 debut against Australia, did well in his first match giving away 11 runs and picking up a wicket. But in the semi-final against South Africa, Mohit went for 34 runs in his three overs.
Sri Lanka, too, have their selection problems.
It remains to be seen if captain Dinesh Chandimal, who dropped himself in favour of in-form Lahiru Thirimanne, will sit out again.
If he does, stand-in captain Lasith Malinga will face the dilemma of getting his spin combination right.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who picked up five wickets giving away just three runs in Sri Lanka’s final group game against New Zealand, is a sure starter.
Sachithra Senanayake, too, has done very well and would be hard to keep out. Malinga and Sri Lanka’s backroom staff will have to decide if they go for a three-pronged spin attack and if they do, will they once again leave out the dangerous Ajantha Mendis for inexperienced leggie Seekkuge Prasanna, who impressed in the semi-final against the West Indies.
They might bring back Mendis seeing his record against India.
Teams
India
Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron
Sri Lanka
Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Kusal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Seekkuge Prasanna, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Ajantha Mendis
Umpires:
Ian Gould and Richard Kettleborough (on-field umpires), Rod Tucker (third umpire), Bruce Oxenford (fourth umpire), David Boon (match referee)
On April 4, Virat Kohli starred with a brilliant unbeaten 72 as India pulled off a comprehensive six-wicket win over South Africa to make their second ICC World Twenty20 finals at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur.
Opting to bat first, South Africa did well to post a challenging total of 172 for four in 20 overs with skipper Faf du Plesis scoring a quick-fire 41-ball 58 while Jean Paul Duminy made an unbeaten 45 off 40 balls.
India made a mockery of what looked like a stiff target and cruised to 176 for four with five balls to spare as Kohli struck a blistering 44-ball unbeaten 72. Ajinkya Rahane (32), Rohit Sharma (24), Suresh Raina (21) and Yuvraj Singh (18) also made valuable contributions.
But it was Kohli’s knock that made the difference and the young batsman single-handedly took away the match from South Africa with his aggressive knock that was studded with five fours and two sixes.
South Africa missed an extra spinner badly as leg-spinner Imran Tahir was the most economical of the bowlers giving away 30 runs from four overs and picked up the wicket of Yuvraj. The pacers including world’s best fast bowler Dale Steyn proved too costly for the Proteas.
Earlier in the day, opting to bat first, South Africa riding on good innings from Du Plessis and Duminy got what looked like a winning score.
Though Indian bowlers struck twice inside the first six overs to reduce South Africa to 44 for two, Du Plessis and Duminy joined forces and plundered the Indian attack with their 71-run stand for the third wicket.
India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/33) struck in the first over to get rid of opening batsman Quinton de Kock (6) caught behind by Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Umpire Ian Gould had no doubts in his mind before raising his finger but De Kock looked surprised. TV replays, however, confirmed a sound as the ball passed by the bat.
Ashwin struck next in the sixth over to get rid of Hashim Amla (22), who had his off-stumps shattered with a carrom ball. The off-spinner was the pick of the Indian bowlers giving away 22 runs from four overs and also picked up Du Plessis and the dangerous AB de Villiers (10).