Mendis stars as Sri Lanka retains title

Karachi: An old tale of capitulation against Sri Lankan spinners was replayed on a forgettable Sunday for M.S. Dhoni’s men. And as defending champion Sri Lanka defeated India by 100 runs in the final and retained the STAR Asia Cup at the National Stadium here on Sunday, memories of botched chases flitted past.

Vinod Kambli’s tears and the 1996 World Cup semifinal, Asia Cup final 2004 and India falling short by 25 runs. These are scripts spun together by the guile of Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan and Upul Chandana.

Add Ajantha Mendis (six for 13) to these names as he flummoxed the Indians and helped Sri Lanka’s 273 in 50 overs, assume alarming proportions in a tournament where 300 plus scores was the minimum yardstick. India scored 173 in 39.3 overs with Virender Sehwag’s 60 (36b, 12x4) atop the order and Dhoni’s (49) sanity in the middle being the exceptions as Sri Lanka cruised to its fourth title triumph in the Asia Cup.

Chase starts

The chase started with Sehwag scattering Chaminda Vaas, the lofted drive over the bowler’s head being the pick. Vaas, however, found relief in scalping Gautam Gambhir and India’s steady ally of good opening partnerships was cut adrift. Sehwag’s upper cut of Kulasekara assuaged nerves but he gave Mendis the charge and was left stranded as the spinner pitched it a shade wide past a flailing bat.

Mendis struck again two deliveries later as he bowled Yuvraj, who was all tentative feet and a late bat coming down and across. Suresh Raina played an ugly hoick, Rohit Sharma was rooted to the crease. Mendis had spun his web with a mix of deliveries that held their line and hurried off the pitch and those that turned just a wee-bit to nudge out reluctant batsmen busy looking at the giant television screen to figure out their mode of dismissal.

Dhoni hung in grimly while Muralitharan ruffled Robin Uthappa’s pads and Mendis prised out Irfan Pathan and R.P. Singh. The fire had died long back and when Vaas bagged Dhoni, the embers of defeat smouldered.

Power and placement

In the evening, Sanath Jayasuriya’s 125 melded power and placement and gave Sri Lanka compelling reasons to believe in hope and rebirth. Struggling at 66 for four in 12 overs and with Ishant Sharma finding rhythm against a top-order that erred in its shot selection, Sri Lanka banked on Jayasuriya for deliverance.

And the man from Matara readily obliged. Jayasuriya’s 27th ODI ton, and his 131-run fifth-wicket partnership with T.M. Dilshan ensured that Sri Lanka managed a challenging total after Dhoni opted to field and belied pre-final hints from both camps of batting first on winning the toss.

After the first over bowled by R.P. Singh went for 11, Ishant’s next over led to a collective intake of breath as the Indians celebrated Kumar Sangakkara’s dismissal. Jayasuriya tapped straight to Suresh Raina, Sangakkara charged from the non-strikers end and never returned.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene had four fielders in his gaze and yet failed to ground his cut. Ishant then surprised Kapugedera and induced the leading edge and two deliveries later, had Chamara Silva chopping on to his stumps.

26 in an over

Jayasuriya (125, 114b, 9x4, 5x6) meanwhile rocked back to cut and pull Ishant and Irfan Pathan and pummelled R.P. Singh for 26 in an over. The ease with which he flexed his forearms and swivelled his legs to generate power belied his 39 summers. And in Dilshan (56), Jayasuriya found sustenance.

Jayasuriya glanced Sehwag to short fine-leg for his hundred and fell with a slog-sweep but it was a supreme innings though the lone discomfort was when Ishant got one to dart past his rib-cage early in the innings. For India, Ishant bowled a good first spell, Pragyan Ojha was steady but Irfan frittered away, gifting width and got punished as Jayasuriya reigned.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka: S. Jayasuriya c Ishant b Sehwag 125, K. Sangakkara (run out) 4, M. Jayawardene c Rohit b Ishant 11, C. Kapugedera c Raina b Ishant 5, C. Silva b Ishant 0, T. Dilshan c Dhoni b Irfan 56, C. Vaas b R.P. Singh 19, N. Kulasekara (not out) 29, T. Thushara lbw b R.P. Singh 5, A. Mendis b R.P. Singh 8, M. Muralitharan c Dhoni b Irfan 2; Extras: (lb-8, w-1) 9; Total: (in 49.5 overs) 273.

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-34, 3-66, 4-66, 5-197, 6-213, 7-236, 8-256, 9-264.

India bowling: R.P. Singh 9-1-67-3, Ishant 10-1-52-3, Irfan 9.5-0-67-2, Pragyan 10-1-38-0, Sehwag 8-0-30-1, Rohit 3-0-11-0.

India: G. Gambhir c Dilshan b Vaas 6, V. Sehwag st Sangakkara b Mendis 60, S. Raina b Mendis 16, Yuvraj b Mendis 0, M.S. Dhoni c Sangakkara b Vaas 49, Rohit lbw b Mendis 3, R. Uthappa lbw Muralitharan 20, Irfan c Jayawardene b Mendis 2, R.P. Singh b Mendis 0, P. Ojha (not out) 6, Ishant b Kulasekara 8; Extras: (b-2, w-1) 3; Total: (in 39.3 overs): 173.

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-76, 3-76, 4-93, 5-97, 6-135, 7-154, 8-154, 9-160.

Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 9-0-55-1, Kulasekara 6.3-0-26-1, Thushara 8-0-51-0, Mendis 8-1-13-6, Muralitharan 8-0-26-1.