Sangakkara accuses Murali and Vaas critics of double standards

ST GEORGE'S, Grenada, April 20, 2007 (AFP) - Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara has accused critics of double standards after the angry response to the decision to rest Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas from the World Cup clash against Australia.

The two veteran bowlers were left out of the April 16 Super Eights game after both sides had already made sure of their places in the semi-finals.

Many accused Sri Lanka of cheapening the World Cup by their decision to allow the players to take a breather although both men, veterans of the 1996 World Cup winning team, returned for the win over Ireland two days later.

"Much of the analysis has been ill-informed, offered without great thought or deep understanding of this Sri Lanka team," wrote Sangakkara in his www.

cricinfo.com column.

"Consequently, many of the critics have been wide of the mark in their conclusions.

I question whether double standards are being applied here by some pundits.

"Nearly all top cricket playing nations have rotational policies that they put into action during heavily congested schedules.

Australia, for example, regularly rest their senior players in group matches once their qualification (and sometimes even before) has been confirmed.

"What then