Colombo: India’s status as the number 1 ODI team proved to be shortlived as Sri Lanka demolished them on way to a 139-run win in the last league game of the Compaq Cup.

Sri Lanka reaffirmed their dominance at home, scoring 307 with the help of some brilliant batting from Sanath Jayasuriya and Thilina Kandamby and then Angelo Matthews strangled the Indian batsmen and took wickets at regular intervals to completely thrash India in the dress rehearsal for the final which will be played on Monday.

Although India were assured of a place in the final of the tri-series, they needed to continue an unbeaten run throughout the tournament to retain their No.1 ranking which they had claimed by beating New Zealand in the first match of the series.

Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat first on a pretty good batting track. Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillakaratne Dilshan gave them a perfect start adding 57 runs in just 8.4 overs before Ishant Sharma accounted for Dilshan (23) as he edged one to wicket-keeper Dhoni.

But Jayasuriya remained unperturbed as he smashed the Indian bowlers all around the ground, reaching his 50 in just 45 balls. The hosts were cruising comfortably when some brilliant glove-work from the Indian captain resulted in the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene (17) off Yusuf Pathan and then Harbhajan trapped the Sri Lankan skipper, Kumar Sangakkara, lbw for 5 as Sri Lanka slipped to 102-3.

India did look like coming back in the game at that point of time but Jayasuriya continued in his aggressive way as he put on 70 runs with Angelo Matthews (19) for the fourth wicket before he was dismissed just 2 short of what would have been his 29^th ODI century. Matthews followed soon as he was foxed by a Raina delivery and Dhoni made no mistake behind the stumps.

That brought Kandamby and Kapugedera at the crease and they batted brilliantly to take Sri Lanka to a very competitive total of 307. Kandamby in particular, batted brilliantly for his 91 off just 73 balls which included 11 boundaries while Kapugedera made 36 off 43 balls as Sri Lanka ended their innings at 307-6 off their 50 overs.

In reply, India got off to a good start with Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik looking comfortable at the crease. Sachin played with his customary ease and looked well on his way to score a big one. But Thushara accounted for Karthik (16) in the 5^th over of the innings as he gloved one to Sangakkara behind the stumps.

From there on both Tendulkar and the new man in Rahul Dravid found the going tough although the master blaster managed to find the fence in between. Tendulkar hit some elegant flicks and glances to score some boundaries before Nuwan Kulasekara got the vital wicket in the 14th over with India’s scoreboard read 67. He struck five fours in his short but classy 33-ball 27-run innings.

India’s Vice captain Yuvraj Singh made his arrival in style, smashing Kulasekara for a four-over mid-on on the very second ball that he faced but thereafter went to a shell as he played and missed Lasith Malinga on several occasions.

Boundaries were far and few as Dravid and Yuvraj kept the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos before the right-hander cut loose in the 19th over, hitting a four and a six of Dilshan’s consecutive deliveries to pick 13 runs off the over. But Malinga broke the dangerously-looking 38-run fourth wicket stand as Yuvraj edged one to Sangakkara.

After that the famed Indian batting line up crumbled like a pack of cards as they lost five wickets for mere 25 runs as Angelo Mathews wreaked havoc, picking up six wickets for just 20 runs in his six overs.

Suresh Raina’s misery with the bat continued as he made a duck. Dravid was the next to follow, bowled by Mathews as the right-hander went for an extravagant drive. In his next over and innings 28th, Mathews struck twice, first castling skipper Dhoni’s stumps and then Yusuf Pathan handed a regulation catch to Sangakkara, thereby dashing India’s hopes, with the scoreboard reading 130 for seven. Mathews’ rampage continued as he disturbed both Harbhajan Singh and Asish Nehra’s timbers.

The duo of RP Singh (19 not out) and Ishant Sharma (13) did make a last ditch effort to take India’s score to some respectability by adding 29 runs before Ajantha Mendis wrapped up the proceedings.

The final will be played in Colombo on Monday.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka 307 for 6 (Jayasuriya 98, Kandamby 91*) beat India 168 (Dravid 47, Mathews 6-20) by 139 runs

Man of the Match: Angelo Matthews

Tagged with: Angelo Matthews, Colombo, Compaq Cup, Harbhajan Singh, India, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka, Thilina Kandamby, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Yuvraj Singh

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