Sri Lanka see off Canada

Mendis: four wickets

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Quadrangular Tournament
King City
Sri Lanka 153-7 Innings Complete v Canada 138 (Rizwan Cheema 68, B A W Mendis 4-17)
Sri Lanka beat Canada by 15 runs

Sri Lanka booked a final showdown with Pakistan in the Quadrangular Twenty20 Tournament after seeing off a plucky Canada outfit.

While Sri Lanka predictably emerged as winners, there were given a scare or two along the way - most notably by Canadian opener Rizwan Cheema who struck an entertaining 43-ball 68 which nearly caused an unlikely upset.

Having made a total of 153-7 from their 20 overs Sri Lanka were left sweating at one stage as Cheema swung to tremendous effect, but eventually wrapped up a 15-run triumph.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene top-scored for the Sri Lankans with a brisk 35 from 21 balls, while Tillakaratne Dilshan chipped in with a useful 26.

Leg-spinner Balaji Rao was the pick of Canada's attack as he returned figures of 3-21 - including the wicket of Jayawardene.

The total appeared to be more than enough, but Cheema made sure the crowd in King City saw a competitive encounter.

It didn't look like turning out that way as Dilhara Fernando ripped through Canada's top-order to leave the hosts floundering on 14-3.

It was at that point Cheema came to the fore and having already cleared the rope on three occasions, he brought up a 34-ball half-century with his biggest hit of the lot off his toes over mid-wicket.

At the halfway point the unthinkable looked on as Canada reached 80-3, but Ajantha Mendis returned to devasting effect trapping Sunil Dhaniram lbw before all but ending the hosts resistance by snaring the dangerman Cheema.

Mendis ended with impressive figures of 4-17 while it was left to Dilhara Lokuhettige to wrap up victory by removing Absal Dean.