India, SL presidents to catch WC final live at Mumbai

The cricket World Cup seems to be providing just the right excuse to further diplomatic ties between the Asian neighbours.

After the respective premiers watched together the Indo-Pak semi-final match at Mohali on Wednesday, the presidents of India and Sri Lanka will be among the crowd at Mumbai on Saturday that will cheer the two Asian cricketing giants in the first-ever all-Asian final.

Indian President Pratibha Patil and her Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa will be watching the high-profile encounter for the top honours in the 50-over format of the game here.

Rashtrapative Bhawan reports said that Patil is keen to catch the final live, after following on television Team India?s path to the last match.

Rajapaksa, who had traveled to the Caribbean in 2007 when Sri Lanka had entered the finals, will be coming to Mumbai for the Saturday match.

The Sri Lankan president, in a message to the Sri Lankan team, has exhorted them to put in their best performance and clinch the Cup as a tribute to Muttiah Muralitharan, who retires from international cricket after this World Cup.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had invited his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani for the semi-final encounter between the two teams at Mohali on Tuesday.

The two prime ministers watched the match from the VVIP enclave at the stadium, using the occasion to smoothen frayed ties between the two nations.

India went on to win the match to reach the finals, while Sri Lanka had defeated New Zealand in its semi-final match.