Sangakkara lifts lid on two tosses in 2011 WC final against Ind

New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara revealed what actually happened during the 2011 World Cup final against India at Wankhede that led to two tosses and ‘The Islanders’ batting first.

Sangakkara jogged down memory lane and spoke about that titanic contest between the two Asian rivals during a live video session with India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Instagram.

“Tell me what happened at the toss in 2011 World Cup (final). I saw two tosses. I was standing near the dressing room, I went inside and I had no idea what just happened,” Ashwin asked Sangakkara on his show ‘ReminisceWithAsh’

“I think it was the crowd.. the crowd was huge (at Wankhede). It never happens in Sri Lanka and it only happens in India, at least to me,” Sangakkara said.

“I remember calling on the toss and then Mahi wasn’t sure what I had called. He said did you call tails I said no I called heads. And then match referee actually said I had won the toss and Mahi said no no no he didn’t. So there was a little bit of confusion there.

“Then Mahi said let’s have another toss. And that’s when the second one went up and it came down heads again. I am not sure if luckily I had won because if I had lost the toss, it may have been that India might have batted,” he added.

Sangakkara also revealed how an injury to their all-rounder Angelo Mathews changed Sri Lanka’s strategy in the final. The southpaw states they would have batted second had Mathews was fit enough to feature in the finale.

“It Angelo was fit I am hundred percent sure that we would have chased. I am not sure if result would have changed but we would have definitely chased in the match,” Sangakkara said.

“That balance of Mathews at seven… If you look at our entire campaign, whatever we did, Matthews’ overs and his ability to bat with the tail was an incredible bonus to us,” he added.

–IANS

pks/bbh