Buoyed by three convincing wins on the trot, including an eight-wicket drubbing of today's opponents in the Tri-Nation Tournament final, India will take the field against Sri Lanka, confident of bagging their first silverware of the year.
Form is on the Indian team's side after two six-wicket wins against hosts Bangladesh and the eight-wicket walloping of their neighbours from across the Palk Strait on Sunday.
As an added incentive, winning the title will also help India narrow the gap on Australia, who lead the ICC one-day rankings with 123 points.
Going into the tournament, India were seven points behind and they will keen to displace Australia to hold both the ODI and Test top spots; they are alreadytop the latter.
The toss, however, could be a crucial factor at the Shere Bangla National Stadium as all six matches of the tournament have been won by the team batting second. Surprises, though, can never be ruled out in a game pitching cricket's two most familiar foes.
The final will be the 121st ODI played between India and Sri Lanka, and it will set a new record for matches played between two nations, eclipsing the mark of 120 between Australia and the West Indies. Fourteen of those matches have been played since the start of 2009, with India holding a 9-4 record with one game abandoned.
Sri Lanka have not won a contest against India in nearly two years, losing two bilateral series and the final of a tournament at home in September. Determination, therefore, will not be in short supply when Kumar Sangakkara leads his team out today for the clash in Mirpur.
The Sri Lanka captain, who opted to bat first after winning the toss in the last game against India and lost by eight wickets, will be hoping for another spin in his favour. This time he will not make the same choice and instead back the destructive opening pair of Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan to launch their chase under the lights.
"It was a bad performance by us on Sunday [against India] with the bat and ball and even fielding," said Sangakkara. "We have forgotten that and it will be a fresh start. We have been preparing for the final as best as possible and we want to win."
The Indian bowlers have been patchy in Bangladesh until now and, as captain MS Dhoni said earlier in the tournament, they will have lift their performance by more than a double to deny the Lankans.
"We have been putting pressure on their bowling for the last two or three months or even more than that, and we would be looking to do that again," added Sangakkara. "At the same time we don't underestimate any side or any player. We will play to our strength to win the game."
Talking about his own bowling attack, Sangakkara singled out Suraj Randiv for special mention. In the absence of Muttiah Muralitharan, the young off-spinner has done an impressive job in the middle overs for the team.
"Without a doubt, Randiv has been pushing for a permanent place in the one-day side," he said. There have been few concerns for Dhoni on the batting front thus far. Most batsmen have been making their expected contributions, but the young Virat Kohli has been sensational.
He has scored 50-plus in five of his last six innings, scripting two centuries alongside scores of 91 and 71. He is the leading scorer of the tournament with 273 from four innings.
The only concern for India, if you could call it that, is the absence of Virender Sehwag from the last two games and training sessions over the past few days. According to the team's administrative manager Arshad Ayub, the swashbuckling opener is "fine" and has no injuries, and "hopefully, he'll be there for the final".
These positive claims, of course, will not go down well with the Lankans. With Kohli in such great touch, they could do without bowling to one of cricket's most destructive batsmen.
@Email:arizvi@thenational.ae
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
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Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
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THE SPECS
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Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
More coverage from the Future Forum
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NO OTHER LAND
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Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
