South Asian neighbours clash in the Coca-Cola Cup Final

India and Sri Lanka have been involved in some enthralling cricket encounters in the recent past. Tomorrow's Coca-Cola Cup final at R. Premadasa Stadium looks set to be another keenly contested encounter.

India is on a roll after winning three games on the trot, whilst Sri Lanka have been the most consistent team in the tournament so far. That though counts for little tomorrow. As Ganguly said this afternoon: "Now we are here, we have to win it."

Sri Lanka have won their last three triangular tournaments and Sanath Jayasuriya appeared in an upbeat mood: "It should be a good game, but we have to do better than what we've been doing and must play with a positive frame of mind. I hope we'll make it at the end."

"India are a dangerous side," said Jayasuriya. "They proved that they can do it and no doubt it's going to be a tough game. On the other hand players in my side are quite experienced guys and I know we'll click at the right moment."

Coach Dav Whatmore admits that his side are yet to play to their full potential: "The first effort of the exercise is to get to the final which we have done. We could have done it bit easier than the way we did it I feel."

Sri Lanka have lost two games to India in this tournament, but Whatmore was not unduly concerned: "Look at us against Pakistan a couple of months ago in Sharjah. We lost both the matches against Pakistan in the league matches but we turned tables around in the final."

Whatmore admitted that they will be taking a close look at Virender Sehwag after his wonderful performance against New Zealand: "He's a dangerous man isn't he. He played brilliantly the other day. You got to admire it whether he's from the opposition or a team mate."

India meanwhile will be looking forward to ending their recent disastrous record in the finals. They have lost seven consecutive finals and the last time they won a one-day tournament was in 1998 at Sharjah, when Sachin Tendulkar smashed a brilliant hundred.

"The boys are aware that we have lost the last seven finals," said Ganguly. "What's gone is gone, you can't be regretting about them. You have got to look forward to the games ahead. Beating Sri Lanka at home won't be that easy. "

India started the Coca-Cola Cup disastrously, losing their first three matches and looked certain to get knocked out of the tournament when a one-match suspension was slapped on Ganguly and it was revealed that VVS Laxman, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, were carrying injuries.

But the Indians though bounced back to book a place in the final by winning their last three games.

"Fantastic comeback," acknowledged Whatmore today. "They have shown themselves capable of coming back from the depths of despair and providing the goods when the going gets tough."

New Zealand born Indian coach John Wright is naturally delighted to have a chance to win a final so soon after their failure in Zimbabwe: "The side has lost seven finals and we want to break that cycle and it'll be nice to do it tomorrow. But it's nice to be here. After the first three games lot of people were saying we wouldn't be, I think the boys have done very well to be here."

The match will be played in a new pitch, which has not been used in this series. The curator of the R. Premadasa Stadium, Susil Ananda, promises a wicket full of runs, but it is unlikely to differ a great deal from the slow two-paced surfaces at the beginning of the tournament.

Sri Lanka are keen to persist with the six batsmen, but Kumar Sangakkara is expected to make way for Avishka Gunawardene, who will open the batting. Romesh Kaluwitharana will bat number three if a wicket falls in the first 15 overs.

India are likely to field the same eleven that defeated New Zealand on Thursday. There is though a slight concern over the fitness of left arm paceman Zaheer Khan, who is suffering from a fever.

The opening combination of Ganguly and Shewag is expected to stay though Wright admitted that a change could be made.

"In one of those league matches when we lost the toss we saw Sourav dropping down the order as we thought we need him at the middle to play spin since the wicket was turning. We might consider that," said Wright.