India cruised into the Asia Cup final, with a clinical five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a round-robin match of the Twenty20 cricket tournament here on Tuesday.
India cruised into the Asia Cup final, with a clinical five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a round-robin match of the Twenty20 cricket tournament here on Tuesday.
Chasing a tricky 138/9, India lost openers Shikhar Dhawan (1) and Rohit Sharma (15) early before Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina came to the rescue. Their third wicket partnership of 54 (off 47 balls) stabilised the innings as India reached 66/2 in 10 overs.
Kohli (56 not out, 47 balls) continued his red-hot form from the previous game against Pakistan, and later revelled in the company of Yuvraj Singh (35, 18 balls, 3x6) to kill the chase.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (7 not out, 4 balls) provided his trademark finishing touch, yet again. Needing 14 from the last two overs, Dhoni eased the pressure with a six, while Kohli reached his half century with a boundary as India cantered home in 19.2 overs.
For Sri Lanka, Nuwan Kulasekara stood out with 2/21.
Earlier, Indian bowlers put up an impressive performance restricting Sri Lanka to 138/9. Young guns Hardik Pandya (2/26) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/27) continued their stellar show as Sri Lanka never really got going.
Off-spinner R. Ashwin (2/26) also showed brilliant control while veteran Ashish Nehra (1/23) showed why he is a class apart.
Such was India’s dominance that their bowlers bowled 50 dot balls out of a possible 120 deliveries, which effectively meant 8.2 overs went without any runs being scored.
Nehra and Bumrah were on target in the Powerplay overs once again.
Dinesh Chandimal (4) tried to make room by pushing towards leg-stump but the wily Nehra followed him by pitching one on the length that took an inside edge to land in Dhoni’s gloves. SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka: D. Chandimal c Dhoni b Nehra 4, T. Dilshan c Ashwin b Pandya 18, S. Jayasuriya c Dhoni b Bumrah 3, C. Kapugedera c Pandya b Bumrah 30, A. Mathews b Pandya 18, T. Siriwardana c Raina b Ashwin 22, D. Shanaka run out 1, T. Perera st Dhoni b Ashwin 17, N. Kulasekara run out 13, D. Chameera (not out) 2. Extras (lb5, w4, nb1) 10. Total (for 9 wkts, in 20 overs) 138.
FoW: 1-6, 2-15, 3-31, 4-57, 5-100, 6-104, 7-105, 8-125, 9-138.
Bowling: Nehra 4-0-23-1 (2w), Bumrah 4-0-27-2, Pandya 4-0-26-2, Yuvraj 1-0-3-0, Jadeja 2-0-19-0, Ashwin 4-0-26-2 (1nb, 2w), Raina 1-0-9-0.
India: Shikhar Dhawan c Chandimal b Kulasekara 1, Rohit Sharma c Kapugedera b Kulasekara 15, Virat Kohli (not out) 56, Suresh Raina c Kulasekara b Shanaka 25, Yuvraj Singh c Kulasekara b Perera 35, Hardik Pandya b Herath 2, M.S. Dhoni (not out) 7
Extras: (w 1) 1. Total (for 5 wkts; in 19.2 overs) 142.
FoW: 1-11, 2-16, 3-70, 4-121, 5-125
Bowling: Mathews 3-0-16-0, Kulasekara 3-0-21-2, Perera 4-0-32-1, Chameera 4-0-27-0 (1w), Herath 3.2-0-26-1, Shanaka 1-0-7-1, Siriwardana 1-0-13-0
