Asia Cup: India thump Sri Lanka by 6 wickets

India exhibited their batting prowess to perfection with their top order firing in unison to score an easy 6-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their must-win Asia Cup Super Four match and set up a summit clash against the same opponents on Sunday.

India chased down the target of 309 with 19 balls to spare and after losing four wickets, thanks to a half century each by Gautam Gambhir (68), captain M S Dhoni (67) and Suresh Raina (54) and a valuable 42 from Virender Sehwag after Sri Lanka, electing to bat, had made 308 for 8.

Yuvraj Singh (36 not out) and Rohit Sharma (22 not out) romped him with an unfinished 57-run stand for the 5th wicket.

Today's result extinguished Pakistan's any hopes of making it to the final and rendered tomorrow's last Super Four match between the hosts and Bangladesh here inconsequential.

India made a blazing start with the opening duo of Sehwag and Gambhir carrying their solid batting form from their match against Pakistan yesterday, putting on 92 runs from 70 balls.

The duo drove, pulled and cut the Lankan opening bowlers without taking much risks, hitting boundaries in regular intervals and keeping the asking rate always lower than the required rate of 6.18 per over.

Sehwag played second fiddle to his junior partner but did not shy away from hitting odd balls for boundaries including a huge six off Nuwan Kulasekara early in the innings.

The 'Nawab of Najafgarh' fell to a soft dismissal in 12th over being deceived by a Kulasekara slow ball holing out to Dilhara Fernando at fine leg after scoring 42 off 34 balls, studded with six fours and a six.

Gambhir raised his 11th ODI fifty by hitting a four off Thilan Thushara after facing 45 balls in the 15th over with the help of nine fours.

Gambhir, however, failed to read a Muttiah Muralitharan 'doosra' and fell LBW in the 21st over at team total of 135 for 2 for a well-made 68 compiled with the help of 11 fours from 61 balls, to allow Sri Lanka come back into the match.

Suresh Raina, who got a life when he was on 11 when Lankan 12th man Jehan Mubarak failing to hold on to an easy chance, made the most of the reprieve to hit his fifth ODI fifty and did the consolidation work along with his captain Dhoni, who also struck his 22nd ODI half century.

Run rate dipped a bit after the return of the opening pair to the hut but Dhoni, who promoted himself up the order, and Raina survived the middle overs while keeping the scoreboard ticking.

The duo scored ones, twos and occasional boundaries including Dhoni's six off Sanath Jayasuriya and frustrated the Lankan bowlers before Raina was run out in the 36th over after facing 66 balls for his 54 (3x4), at team total of 234 for 3.

Just as it seemed Dhoni would open up to end the run chase in quick time, the Indian captain fell to Muralitharan cleaned bowled for 67 (62 balls; 5x4; 1x6) in the 38th over.

Needing just 47 runs from from the last 10 overs, Yuvraj and Rohit Sharma romped home with the Punjab southpaw hitting the winning runs, a four off Kulasekara, to reach 310 for four in 46.5 overs.

For Sri Lanka, Muralitharan was the most successful bowler returning figures of 10-0-44-2.

Earlier, Sri Lanka made 308 for eight with half centuries from Chamara Kapugedera (75), captain Mahela Jayawardene (50) and Chamara Silva (50).

Playing before a sparse crowd, Sri Lanka was in control for most part of the innings but lost wickets at regular intervals after reaching 217 for three. In the final 10 overs, they lost four wickets for 74 runs.

After losing Kumar Sangakkara in the fourth over for just seven runs when he was caught down the leg side off Ishant Sharma, Sanath Jayasuriya went about his usual self.

Dropped on four by Yuvraj Singh, who attemped a difficult take running in from mid-off, Jayasuriya breezed his way to 43 from 37 balls with eight balls before he was caught by Dhoni on the leg side to give Sharma his second wicket.

Jayawardene, who scored his 47th career fifty, and Kapugedera put Sri Lanka into the driving seat with a 78 runs stand off 89 balls hitting some smooth boundaries to put the pressure on India.

Jayawardene fell just one ball after completing his half century from 62 balls. He was caught by Gautam Gambhir at long off dancing down the wicket and attempting to hit Pragyan Ojha out of the ground.

Kapugedera teamed up with Silva to put on another 68 from 66 balls for the fourth wicket as both the youngsters batted with freedom as Ojha went for runs.

Kapugedera raced to his fifth half century from 55 balls with the help of six fours before Praveen Kumar trapped him leg before at the total of 217 in the 38th over.

Five overs later, Tillakeratne Dilshan also pulled Irfan Pathan down to RP Singh at fine leg making 15 from 19 balls.

Silva's run out after reaching his 50 in the 46th over at the total of 263 put Sri Lanka back in their effort to score quick runs in the final overs and post a big total.

Irfan Pathan was the most expensive bowler conceding 80 in his 10 overs with his final over conceding 14 runs.