Sri Lanka stunned in Dhaka

Zaheer: Three-wicket haul

Related links

Teams

• India
• Sri Lanka

Also see

• Sky Sports experts
• Scores
• Watch online
• Bet now
• Fixtures/Results

Captain Kumar Sangakkara's gamble to bat first backfired as India warmed up for the triangular series final with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at Dhaka.

In what was a dress rehearsal for Wednesday's final, India produced a disciplined all-round performance to restrict their opponents to 213 all out before reaching their target with 7.2 overs remaining.

Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan (3-38) and leg-spinner Amit Mishra (3-40) did the damage with the ball after Sri Lanka skipper Sangakkara, who won his fourth toss in a row, chose to experiment by batting first.

No side fielding second in the heavy dew have won a match in the series so far, and that remained the case as Gautam Gambhir (71) and Virat Kohli (71no) eased India to a comfortable win.

Woeful start

India struck in the very first over when seamer Sudeep Tyagi, a replacement for Ashish Nehra, lured Upul Tharanga into a drive and Dinesh Karthik caught well at slip.

Fellow opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, back after missing Sri Lanka's last two matches with a groin injury, smashed a quick-fire 33, but he too fell early when Zaheer found his edge and Gambhir held at gully.

India's impressive display in the field continued when Kolhi held a sharp catch at short cover to dismiss the dangerous Mahela Jayawardene for just five.

Sri Lanka's woeful start continued as Sreesanth, who had shared the new ball with Tyagi, returned to claim the wicket of Thilan Samaraweera for a six-ball duck.

The run out of Thilina Kandamby reduced Sri Lanka to 66-5 and Mishra got in on the act soon after when Thissara Perera was caught well by Yuvraj Singh in the deep.

Sangakkara (68), who had watched Sri Lanka slip to 88-6, found an able partner in Suraj Randiv as the duo lifted their side's total with a stand of 59 for the seventh wicket.

The Sri Lanka captain reached his 54th ODI half-century in 56 deliveries but failed to build on his imperious start, pulling the off-spin of Yuvraj to Suresh Raina at mid-wicket.

Trouble

Randiv was then joined by Thilan Thushara and the duo frustrated India with a 59-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Randiv reached his 50 off 72 balls just after the batting powerplay was taken, but Zaheer returned to remove Thushara and India quickly wiped out the rest of the tail.

A 213 total never looked enough to trouble a strong looking India batting line-up, and that proved to be the case.

Openers Karthik and Gambhir exploited the powerplay overs expertly with an 89-run partnership for the first wicket off just 69 balls.

Right-hander Karthik struck nine fours in his 40-ball 48 before edging Thushara through to wicketkeeper Sangakkara.

Gambhir effortlessly brought up his 19th ODI 50, and even when he chipped tamely to mid-on, Kohli (71no) and Yuvraj (8no) saw India over the line with eight wickets and 44 balls to spare.