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Did Sri Lanka underperform purposely?


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The six-wicket Sri Lankan loss to India on Thursday at Karachi has not gone down well in Pakistan. In fact Pakistan greats Waqar Younis and Rameez Raja have slammed the manner of the Lankan loss. Pakistan's ex-test players are questioning their will to win the crucial encounter, the result of which led to the hosts being knocked out. For India, it was a do-or-die game to make it to the final, while a Lankan victory would have eased host Pakistan's passage for Sunday's finale. But the Lankans having already secured their berth in the final, chose to play a second-string bowling attack - resting the inform Chaminda Vaas and Ajantha Mendes. A move that came as a blessing for Team India - as the Lankans were left with limited quality options to restrict the Indians -- as Dhoni and men romped home to a win -- ending Pakistan's campaign at the Asia Cup. But, the Lankan loss has not gone down too well with former Pakistan greats, few of whom openly questioned Sri Lanka'a intent going into the match and that too in the live match commentary. In the live commentary, Rameez Raja said, "We didn't see a lot of will and determination from Sri Lanka in this game. So many batsmen got starts, but no one really carried on to play a big innings...Sanath Jayasuriya in particular looked a little bored at the crease, when he was looking good he threw away his wicket." While Waqar Younis said, "I haven't seen Mahela Jayawardene really being proactive in Thursdy's game. He is really on his heels, the manoeuvring of the bowlers I thought was below par - He himelf is always on his toes going to the bowlers." Continuing the criticism Raja said, "Sri Lanka had the choice of picking a team to play them in the final, there you see another look at the batting card, Sanath Jayasuriya got a start as did Mahela, Kapugedera and Silva..but no one really carried on." The Pakistani apprehensions were only fuelled when Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene expressed comfort of playing India in the final. Speaking in the post match press conference, Jayawardene reportedly spoke of the threat of playing Pakistan in a big match and that too in front of their home crowd. Going on to further add the positive for India and Sri Lanka who will no longer have to worry about the crowd factor. "I think Pakistan can be a very dangerous side playing a big match in front of its home crowd. So in a way we have cut that element of crowd support out. It is good for India and Sri Lanka they don't have to worry about this factor," Jayawardene said. But the Lankan skipper denied influencing the result or choosing their opposition for the final. "We had no preference to play Pakistan or India in the final...we just went by the game in hand. While we were in this we had to plan for our future as well," Jayawardene said. Dhoni and his men were definitely the superior side on Thursday and though they would want to believe they won fair and square, Waqar and Rameez's comments has definitely taken away the sheen from their performance. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Did_Sri_Lanka_underperform_purposely___/articleshow/3195797.cms

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i honestly believe that SR lost today on purpose....the SL cricket board is in severe financial crisis and they have turned to BCCI for help several times lately...they could not afford to eliminate india as that obviously wud not have gone well with BCCI. MONEY IS POWER!!!!!!!!!!!

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Is anyone outside Pakistan saying that? No. That was a crucial match for you. Not for Srilanka. It was a spare match for them and they decided to rest a few players. The playing 11 played very well. A team that intentioanlly wants to lose, does not set a target of 300+ for its opponents. Its not the first time India chased down 300 with such ease. We did it much better against Pakistan. In this match we at least lost some wickets. Also against Pakistan we got there in mere 42 overs. And that was a do or die match for Pakistan. Pakistan also chased down a big score by India. Did India lose that by will? You guys have gotten into a habit of pointing fingers. You love conspiracy theories. Get a life.

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Guest Hiten.

Who are Ramiz and Waqar to ask SL about their commitment ? It was a no brainer that SL would have rested their prime bowlers for the finals no matter what. It was not SL's fault that they made it to the finals before any team so they had the luxury of resting Vaas and Mendis. Even the Indians did not look fired up and charged up (while fielding) despite knowing that this game was a do-or-die for us. Ramiz and Waqar are nothing but venting out the frustration that Pakistan could not make it to yet another asia cup final. Its pretty lame, if you ask me.

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Who are Ramiz and Waqar to ask SL about their commitment ? It was a no brainer that SL would have rested their prime bowlers for the finals no matter what. It was not SL's fault that they made it to the finals before any team so they had the luxury of resting Vaas and Mendis. Even the Indians did not look fired up and charged up (while fielding) despite knowing that this game was a do-or-die for us. Ramiz and Waqar are nothing but venting out the frustration that Pakistan could not make it to yet another asia cup final. Its pretty lame, if you ask me.
what's lame is the fact that you guys are not thinking 'straight. if you ask me i still think that teams (SL and IND) deserve to be in the final based on overall performance. Having said that, the Lankans body language was pathetic today...and why not play your best 11 and win this game to continue the winning streak? they were not playing back to back game so y rest your key bowlers? everyone wants a fair chance....but the Lankans by under performing denied us that chance....and i applaud both ramiz and waqar to go after the Lankans during live commentary....
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Yes, they did. They were afraid of Pakistan's phaaast bowling attack after having thrashed them silly in the group stages. On the other hand, losing to India on three out of the last four occasions didn't worry them at all. Come to think of it, even the 51 & 53 all out in Sharjah to Australia was fixed. Pakistan were feeling grateful to Australia for having played them at all. Pakistan are tops.:yay:

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what's lame is the fact that you guys are not thinking 'straight. if you ask me i still think that teams (SL and IND) deserve to be in the final based on overall performance. Having said that, the Lankans body language was pathetic today...and why not play your best 11 and win this game to continue the winning streak? they were not playing back to back game so y rest your key bowlers? everyone wants a fair chance....but the Lankans by under performing denied us that chance....and i applaud both ramiz and waqar to go after the Lankans during live commentary....
Buddy, your fair chance came when you played India in the group stages and SL in the round robin. You goofed it. You want to play in the final after winning just one of the three big fixtures? Time to return to real life from holiday in la-la land, I think.
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Its simple. You did not perform well for yourself. Then you expected Srilanka to go out full strength against India just for a Pakistani cause? Are they mad? Or are they your slave? They are not there to make losers win.
WTF???? who is asking SL to play for OUR cause???? but at the same time, they should PLAY for the sake of winning.......isn't that why you play any professional game? This is what the SL coach said before this game: "It is good we have a chance to play them [india] before the final. It gives the opportunity to carry on our good form in the tournament and extract more from the players ... Thursday's game would be crucial, for it will set the mood for the final." Trevor Bayliss, the Sri Lanka coach, feels India were be their opponents on July 6 as well. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/asiacup/content/story/359396.html Now, you don't have to a genius to figure out that clearly Lankans did not want to play Pak in front of their home crowd....
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Guest Hiten.
what's lame is the fact that you guys are not thinking 'straight. if you ask me i still think that teams (SL and IND) deserve to be in the final based on overall performance. Having said that, the Lankans body language was pathetic today...and why not play your best 11 and win this game to continue the winning streak? they were not playing back to back game so y rest your key bowlers? everyone wants a fair chance....but the Lankans by under performing denied us that chance....and i applaud both ramiz and waqar to go after the Lankans during live commentary....
Huh ? Dude, teams in the past have had the tendency of resting their key players once they know they're in the finals. They don't give a hoot about who are they going to face in the finals. They want to make sure that their prime bowlers don't get overworked. Did you follow the Euro Cup ? Once Netherlands knew that they're through, they decided to rest all their premium players in a game that was do-or-die for Romania. Its not like Netherlands wanted Romania to come along with them in the next round robin. Netherlands still managed to win the game and Romania was kicked out of the game. This example is no different than the one you are moaning about. Unfortunately SL's bench warmers did not fare well enough to stop India from coming to the finals. As I said, Waqar and Ramiz are ruing the fact that this will be yet another Asia cup final where Pakistan is no where to be seen. India and Sri Lanka have faced each other 6 times in the Asia cup final.
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Most absurd thing ever, can't we just see this as a regular game than the politics involved. So just coz Pak didn't make it to the final, its Lanka's fault. How convenient to blame them, why shouldn't they rest their main players? They scored par 300 - imagine the hoopla if they scored like 250 These side-kick English medium commies should be sacked for comments like these

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Yes, they did. They were afraid of Pakistan's phaaast bowling attack after having thrashed them silly in the group stages. On the other hand, losing to India on three out of the last four occasions didn't worry them at all. Come to think of it, even the 51 & 53 all out in Sharjah to Australia was fixed. Pakistan were feeling grateful to Australia for having played them at all. Pakistan are tops.:yay:
Obviously the Lankans fancy their chances against India more than Pakistan....i mean who can forget the memorable match in which they THRASH you 300 RUNSDONT GET CHEEKY JOKER
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i honestly believe that SR lost today on purpose....the SL cricket board is in severe financial crisis and they have turned to BCCI for help several times lately...they could not afford to eliminate india as that obviously wud not have gone well with BCCI. MONEY IS POWER!!!!!!!!!!!
You are blaming a nation of cheating in a sport, co your team failed to make to the final. Just sit down and hear yourself out Money is POWER - I agree, then India should WIN all games, why stop at qualifying rounds See it was a game, why can't you give India credit for putting them under a decent score of mmm 300
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Guest Hiten.

Why isn't the Pakistani team blamed for losing to Sri lanka in super 4 ? Pakistan were aware of the 'unfair advantage' of SL carrying 2 points in super 4. Pakistan had to win all the 3 games in super 4 to go to the finals. They should have entered the finals on their own strength and not by relying on SL.

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WTF???? who is asking SL to play for OUR cause???? but at the same time, they should PLAY for the sake of winning.......isn't that why you play any professional game? This is what the SL coach said before this game: "It is good we have a chance to play them [india] before the final. It gives the opportunity to carry on our good form in the tournament and extract more from the players ... Thursday's game would be crucial, for it will set the mood for the final." Trevor Bayliss, the Sri Lanka coach, feels India were be their opponents on July 6 as well. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/asiacup/content/story/359396.html Now, you don't have to a genius to figure out that clearly Lankans did not want to play Pak in front of their home crowd....
It takes an exceptional idiot to figure out that Srilanka lost on purpose from that statement of the coach. They are entitled to their strategy. Every team rests players in a match that is inconsequential for them. That does not mean that they do not want to win that match. Get a life. Be a good loser. Losing is not bad, but whining, cooking up conspiracy theories, and blaming others is bad. Ypu played bad cricket, you lost. Indian and Lanka played better than you, they moved on. Get that, go home.
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That's the problem with the average Pakistani fan, ucilite. You guys feel the world revolves around you. I honestly thought you are one of the better ones. But by whining after SL & India rained on your party, you have clearly shown that like most of your fellow fans, you'd pass the buck on to happenstances beyond your control rather than put hand on your heart & acknowledge that you support an underperforming and mediocre side.

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