Vaas and Randiv on standby

Sri Lanka are to fly out veteran all-rounder Chaminda Vaas and spinner Suraj Randiv as cover ahead of the World Cup final amid injury concerns over Muttiah Muralitharan and Angelo Mathews.

Spin legend Muralitharan is set to play the last match of his illustrious international career in Saturday's Mumbai showpiece against India and marked his final delivery in his home country by taking the wicket of New Zealand's Scott Styris. But he has struggled throughout the tournament with a succession of niggling injuries, most notably knee and hamstring problems.

Mathews, meanwhile, was forced off by a thigh problem while fielding in the semi-final victory over the Black Caps and was forced to bat using Mahela Jayawardene as a runner.

Vaas would be an ideal replacement for Mathews, with his left-arm seam and useful runs from the lower middle order. The 37-year-old pondered retiring from international cricket after being omitted from his country's 15-man squad for the tournament.

Randiv, 26, will be available to deputise for Muralitharan should the 39-year-old not make it. It seems inconceivable, however, that a man who has taken 534 ODI wickets and a further 800 in Tests would not be patched up for a 350th and final appearance in the format.

No request has yet been made to officially add either player to the squad, the International Cricket Council have confirmed, but they will be available if required.