Sport

Kapugedera, Jayawardene take Lanka to a big score

— PHOTO: AFP

RISING TO THE OCCASION: Chamara Kapugedera’s stroke-filled knock lifted Sri Lanka against India in the Asia Cup on Thursday.

Karachi: The batsmen helped Sri Lanka post 308 for eight in 50 overs against India in a STAR Cricket Asia Cup semifinal league match at the National Stadium here on Thursday.

The Indians, pushed into a must-win situation, began well in terms of the opening spells but as the evening wore on, the energy levels on the field sagged while the batsmen milked the attack.

After Mahela Jayawardene opted to bat, the Sri Lankans had a muffled start as the law of averages caught up with Kumar Sangakkara. The opener, in a rich vein of form with three centuries in this tournament, tried to pull Ishant Sharma’s short-pitched delivery slanting down the leg side. Dhoni snapped up the edge and a similar dismissal-pattern was repeated with Sanath Jayasuriya (43) after he thrived on the swats past mid-wicket and two reprieves as Yuvraj grassed a tough chance and Praveen Kumar messed up an easy offering.

At 71 for two, Jayawardene (50) drove and flicked with assurance and also had an able ally in Kapugedera, who top-scored with 75 (78b, 7x4, 1x6). Kapugedera seemed to have that extra second while punishing Irfan Pathan and Ishant with some pleasing drives. Jayawardene and Kapugedera shared a 78-run third-wicket partnership before the skipper lofted left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha straight to Gambhir.

Kapugedera later charted a 68-run fourth-wicket partnership with Chamara Silva (50) as runs kept coming at a fair clip. And in the slog, Weeraratne and Thushara hastened the flow and left India with the tough task of chasing a 300-plus score in a match that has to be won if Dhoni’s men are keen to contest the final against Sri Lanka on July 6.

India dropped Yusuf Pathan and Piyush Chawla and opted for R.P. Singh and Pragyan Ojha.

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