When fixing is legitimate

India virtually cat-walked into the final of the Asia Cup on Thursday with apposite casual swagger befitting a fashion-show, thumping a strangely lackluster and unusually phlegmatic Sri Lankan team, that belied the latter's celebrated "tigers" status. In fact, at the end Dilhara Fernando sported such a horizontal smile, it could have accommodated the whole of the Great Wall of China!

I have never seen our southern neighbors look so spiritually calm in defeat earlier. In what should ideally have been deep anguish bordering on migraine after failing to defend 308 runs.

Naturally, conspiracy theory experts have immediately pounced on Fernando's exuberant wide grin, and have termed the match outcome as "dubious". Which in more stark terms means "legitimately fixed".

India's victory (which vindicates my previous article, my dear innumerable air-conditioner club of trenchant critics, please note) effectively threw host nations Pakistan into the attic, despite their sublime win over India just 24 hrs earlier. I thought Mahela Jayawardene, who is otherwise a fairly intelligent bloke, could have avoided those silly infantile remarks about "preferences" of who Sri Lanka would like to contest in Sunday's Asia Cup final.

It is these asinine utterances that brings our great Indian sub-continent under the match-fixing scanner.

Now frankly, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan are almost as evenly matched as the shapely legs of Maria Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic and Anna Ivanovic, so I am wondering where the big competitive advantage really occurs.

Jayawardene feels the "crowd factor" plays a crucial role; it probably does to some extent, but maybe he was following Scotsman and local hero Andy Murray's rather bizarre comeback against Richard Gasquet of France at Wimbledon way too seriously. We all know how Rafael Nadal vanquished the Hogwarts high-school student- looking Murray on the Centre Court just two days following. The crowd did not even get an iota of a chance to do a Mexican wave; they were as stunned into silence as a right blow on the jaw or a painful cry from a quick bite on the left ear from Mike Tyson.

In short, if I was MSD I would be pretty peeved about being considered the "soft option" by Sri Lanka.

I can very well empathise with Rameez Raja and Wasim Akram and other Pakistani supporters if they believe that Sri Lanka did not go the whole nine yards to annihilate India. But frankly, when tournament rules allow for such manipulative permutations, one is helpless. Take the Euro, for instance. The refulgent and inspired Portugese rested their brilliant stalwarts and thought nothing of losing to the Swiss-cheese from Zurich, because the result was as inconsequential as pizza crumbs served to a grasshopper. But can we call it "fixed?"

And Netherlands could have happily lost to Romania if they so wished, right?

Whatever the truth it might be, these are usually tactical ploys. Given excess-cricket being played these days , it is not altogether senseless to rest key assets, especially before a big game that matters. I am sure Pakistan will agree with that. Moreover, does not Sri Lanka run the risk of losing the psychological space to India who were the unlikely winners and that is the bottomline.

Some coaches believe it lulls the opposition into complacency, as the victory is achieved against a lowly second-string. Like for instance, Sri Lanka rested chief wrecker Chaminda Vaas against India. But I would have been more worried if maestro M Muralitharan was also serenading the streets of Karachi while the game was on. Secondly, how can Pakistan blame Sri Lanka for their ouster as Pakistan is itself responsible for attempting bungee-jumping without a rope attached by pushing itself near the precipice?

In fact, it is the Indians who were unwitting beneficiaries of the run rate equations, for a change. And I for one believe that MSD's men are playing outstanding cricket, and above all, have been remarkably consistent. So no matter what the speculation on the deliberate loss by Sri Lanka, let's back the Boys in Blue who scored an emphatic win.

As for Pakistan, in case they are still fuming over being done in, the fact is that if rules do permit "fixing", then Sri Lanka played the tune in sync with the official orchestra. But my bet is that the Pakistani "crowd" will back India over Sri Lanka any day in Sunday's finals, as both countries peoples have a deep sense of appreciation and warmth and respect for each other.

Probably Jayawardene has misread into the exaggerated political hostilities between the two nations; sure, we have a historical baggage to resolve, but I have met some of the most endearing and effusively warm people from Pakistan, particularly when we travel abroad. I for one support Pakistan (they are my perennial favorites) whenever they play anyone else, other than India, of course.

Dilhara Fernando might still regret that 32 shiny teeth display on my 42 inch plasma screen last evening. Because Pakistan might still have the last laugh.