There were 16 teams when the tournament kicked off about a month-and-a-half ago (yes, it’s been that long) and now stand the final two. Yet another Australia versus a subcontinent team final. This is a plot that has been played out since 1996 and a team from the subcontinent has made the final on the last six of seven occasions (1987 being the only exception). It is the last four World Cups that would interest us at the moment.

Starting 1996, the dominance of Australia has been on the rise and it was only an upstart Sri Lankan team that stopped Australia short of lifting the Cup. But in 1999, Pakistan could not repeat that and in 2003, India failed miserably. An Australian win on Saturday would complete the trilogy so to speak after which they may ride away into the sunset of cricketing excellence. But that’s no fun. It will be more fun if Sri Lanka can win and challenge Australia’s dominance while the best Australian outfit is still around.

Man to man, these teams are perhaps the best matched. Sri Lanka may in fact have a couple of players over the Aussies. The exciting part to look for in the final (if the part is indeed played out) will be the battle between the Sri Lankan bowling and the Australian middle order. Sri Lanka, in fact, may be the only team with enough firepower to stop the Australian top three. And they will definitely need to be stopped if Sri Lanka wants any hopes of winning.

In Mahela Jayawardene and Ricky Ponting, there will be two of the best captains of the tournament facing off and each of them is backed by an outstanding unit with good batting and great bowling. Sri Lanka’s worries will lie in their top order batting. Upul Tharanga made a difference in the semi-final but he is just as enigmatic as his senior partner Sanath Jayasuriya. Both are just as liable to fail early on and this could affect the Sri Lankan chances whether they bat first or second. It is, however, too late to get Marvan Atapattu into the team just for the final. Not to mention unfair on an in-form Tharanga!

Barbados will finally see the sun set on this never-ending World Cup. Will the sun also set on the Australian reign of eight years? Over to you, Sri Lanka…