Sri Lanka's Secret Motivation at World Cup: The Emerald Island's Jewels (Jayawardene and Sangakkara)
It's a two pronged inspiration. It's for two people. It's about helping two superstars achieve their dream. If you thought Sri Lanka were ignorable contenders for the World Cup, think again, because the emerald islanders have two jewels, who may just be the extra motivation that wins a country a World Cup.
In the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj Singh said 'I am playing this tournament for a special person. That special person always comes into my mind whenever I am in a pressure situation. Hopefully it will work out in the end'.(Mathews Begs Sangakkara Not to Retire)
It worked out in the end and after winning the World Cup, Yuvraj revealed the name of that special person. It was Sachin Tendulkar. With reason, as Sachin was playing his sixth and final World Cup. He had spent 21 years trying to win a World Cup. The generous Yuvraj believed like many it would be a pity if the God of cricket wasn't showered with the glorification of actually winning the World Cup in a career that is unprecedented and probably insurmountable. But what he did was make it his strategy to succeed. When you try to do something for yourself, like scoring runs, you sometimes doubt yourself, and ask how selfish of me? That doubt is enough to put you out of form. But if you make it about doing it for your hero, the man who made you play the game you do, the game that gave you everything, it becomes your greatest possible source of motivation.(Sanga Scripting ODI Farewell)
With this strategy/mindset Yuvraj Singh literally hit it out of the park in the 2011 World Cup. Few would have expected he would go on to become the Man of the tournament. Did you?(Be Afraid of Sanga, Warns Murali)
In this edition of the World Cup, the entire Sri Lankan team, barring two stalwarts, has possibly adopted this strategy. Knowingly or not is debatable and something we will never know the answer to but consider this - Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara are arguably Sri Lanka cricket's best ambassadors, best cricketers, and highest achievers.
Jayawardene has gone 16 years, 5 World Cups, 2 World Cup finals, and more than a silver jubilee of international runs (25,953) without winning any silverware. Kumar Sangakkara has gone 15 years, 4 World Cups, 2 World Cup finals, and more than 27,000 international runs without winning the tournament. Combine that and you get a lot more heartbreak than you would have got if Sachin would have ended his career without the World Cup in his trophy cabinet.
Now, both Sangakkara and Jayawardene are 37 years old. Barring a miracle this is their last chance to win the World Cup. So, Sri Lanka's extra motivation or strategy is basically to win this World Cup for Jayawardene and Sangakkara. On being asked whether, like the Indian Cricket team in 2011 wanted to win the World Cup for Sachin, Sri Lanka's motivation to win this World Cup is to do it for Sangakkara and Jayawardene, Sri Lankan spinner Sachithra Senanayake said 'Yes, actually after this World Cup we will miss them very badly. We all know Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are our legends. They are the most experienced players in our team. So, we have to do something for them. So, this World Cup will be the most important thing for us'.
Sangakkara, is already breathing fire and has already made it clear - this is his World Cup by breaking records galore, with 4 back to back ODI and World Cup centuries, the most by any player ever. Jayawardene may have only one century this World Cup but we all know what he is capable of. In the 2011 World Cup after scoring just one century till the final, Jayawardene, saved his best for last, notching up an 88-ball 103-run unbeaten masterclass.
The only two teams that have beaten Sri Lanka this World Cup are both the hosts. Against New Zealand, Sri Lanka were probably beaten by a set of Kiwis buoyed by the fact that they were hosting the World Cup's opening game, something that won't exist come a possible semi-final clash vs the Lankans. Against Australia they almost chased 377 until Dinesh Chandimal got injured. They also didn't have Rangana Herath for that match.
Sri Lanka's quarter-final opponents are likely to be South Africa and that promises to be a thriller. Whoever wins, expect Jayawardene, Sangakkara and in particular those they inspired in the Lankan camp, to put up a fight like never before.