Sri Lanka vs. India at Rajkot

So the Indians played their game,

Totaling twenty score and more.

What a score! How great they played!

Sri Lanka stood no chance, for sure.

And when the Indians came to field,

There was a smirk on every face,

And on their minds an easy win,

They were number one in place.

Then Sri Lanka sent out her boys,

Upul and Dilshan. There was no noise.

And what a treat it was to see,

They played so very heartily!

The ball was smashed to every corner;

Here a six and there a four.

And the surprised Indians wondered.

The runs kept coming more and more

Then Captain Kumar to the crease

He showed no pressure; was at ease,

And he played a captain’s game

And all Sri Lankans cheered his name!

Dilshan, he got a one and fifty,

The margin kept on coming down;

And Captain scoring all through eighty

Caused every Indian’s face to frown.

Well, so it went right on and on;

On every face anxiety.

Both sides strong and fighting through,

And shouts from watchers, nervously.

In the end, last ball, five runs,

Well… it just could not be done.

Mathews tried, as did Nuwan,

Yet India, by three runs, had won.

Sri Lanka, whom they all had thought,

Would lose the game in shame; had fought!

Had proved them wrong! Had showed them all

She was as great; though mighty small.

And you might ask me why I write,

A tribute to a losing side,

Well let’s just say I love a fight:

Sri Lanka fought it great tonight!

Nina Alahakoon (15/12/2009)