MUMBAI – Sri Lanka’s captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat in the World Cup final against India at the Wankhede stadium on Saturday.
India made one change from the side that beat Pakistan in the semi-final, bringing in fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth in place of the injured Ashish Nehra.
Star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was declared fit to play despite niggling hamstring and knee injuries, but Sri Lanka made four changes after the semi-final against New Zealand.
Batsman Chamara Kapugedera, all-rounder Thisara Perera, off-spinner Suraj Randiv and seamer Nuwan Kulasekera replaced Chamara Silva, the injured Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis.
Randiv had only been called into the squad on Thursday as cover.
The toss had to take place twice after no one heard the call from Sangakkara first time around.
Teams batting first have won seven of the nine finals since the inaugural World Cup in 1975.
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Munaf Patel.
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Suraj Randiv, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan.
Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Aleem Dar (PAK)
TV umpire: Ian Gould (ENG)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
