Dhoni-led India win the Semi-finaL

India made no changes to their playing eleven.

Sri Lanka made five Cha(mara)nges to the eleven that last played the Indians – Upul Tharanga, Dinesh Chandimal, Kapugedera, Sachithra Senanayake and Nuwan Pradeep made way for Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Nuwan Kulasekara and Rangana Herath.

On winning the toss, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s skipper, inserted the Sri Lankans.

At the beginning of the match, the ground was wet.

The first Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 26, and lost a wicket.

Kusal, who faced eight balls, scored four. His runs came by way of a boundary. Sixteen balls into the match, he was caught by Suresh Raina. Bhuvneshwar Kumar broke the six-run stand.

The second-wicket pair had put on 11, when Tillakaratne Dilshan retired hurt. He was batting on a dozen at that point. Sri Lanka had scored 17 for the loss of a wicket off 27 balls. Two hundred and sixty balls later, he resumed his innings. Sri Lanka had scored 164 for the loss of seven wickets.

Fifteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. Sri Lanka had scored 36 for the loss of a wicket at that point. While Sangakkara was batting on 13, Lahiru Thirimanne was in seventh heaven.

Thirimanne, whose 31-ball innings included a boundary, didn’t add to the aforementioned score. Seventy-six balls later, he was caught by Raina. Ishant, the player of the (Shar)match, broke the 30-run stand.

Sangakkara, whose 44-ball innings included a boundary, eventually scored 17. Sixteen balls later, he was caught by Raina. Ishant broke the five-run stand.

Sri Lanka scored 50 off 21 overs (126 balls). India had conceded an extra at that point.

Dinesh Karthik kept wicket in place of Dhoni between the 23^rd and the 31^st over.

A hundred and forty balls into the match, Sri Lanka sought a batting review. Jayawardene was the batsman. It was upheld by Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 50 off 71 balls. While the contributions of both Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka’s skipper and the player of the match, to the partnership was 24 apiece, extras’ contribution to it was a couple.

A hundred and eighty-one balls into the match, Sri Lanka sought a batting review. Mathews was the batsman. It was upheld by English umpire Richard Kettleborough.

Thirty-one overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. Sri Lanka had scored 94 for the loss of three wickets at that point. Both Jayawardene and Mathews were batting on 26 apiece.

Sri Lanka scored 100 off 31.4 overs (190 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at that point gave him no reason to be in seventh heaven.

The second Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings – which was the batting Powerplay – was between the 36^th and the 40^th over. They scored a dozen, and lost a wicket.

Jayawardene, whose 63-ball innings included three boundaries, eventually scored 38. A hundred and nine balls after Sangakkara’s dismissal, Ravindra Jadeja broke the 78-run partnership.

Sri Lanka scored 150 off 44.1 overs (265 balls). India had conceded 11 extras at that point.

Mathews’ half-century – which included a boundary and a six – came off 85 balls. He faced 89 balls, eventually scoring 51. Fifty-eight balls later, he was caught by Kumar. Ravichandran Ashwin broke the 39-run stand.

Thisara Perera, who faced four balls, didn’t get off the mark. Half-a-dozen balls later, he was caught by Shikhar Dhawan. Ishant broke the two-run stand.

Kulasekara, who faced three balls, scored a run. Half-a-dozen balls later, Ashwin broke the four-run stand.

Dilshan, whose 21-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, eventually scored 18. He was unbeaten.

Mendis, whose 35-ball innings included a boundary, scored 25. Eight balls later, he was stumped by Dhoni. Needless to say, Ashwin was in seventh heaven.

Malinga, whose two-ball innings included a boundary, scored seven. He was unbeaten.

India eventually conceded 13 extras. Sri Lanka scored 181 for the loss of eight wickets off 50 overs. Dhoni, who bowled four overs, conceded 17. He was wicketless, as was Umesh Yadav, who bowled eight overs, including a couple of maidens. He conceded 30.

Kumar bowled nine overs, including a couple of maidens. He conceded 18, picking up a wicket. Jadeja bowled 10 overs, including a maiden. He conceded 33, picking up a wicket.

Sharma bowled 10 overs, including a maiden. He conceded 33, picking up three wickets. Ashwin bowled 10 overs, including a maiden. He conceded 48, picking up three scalps.

The first Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 40, without the loss of a wicket.

India’s openers put on 50 off 11.4 overs (70 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded five extras at that point. While Rohit Sharma’s contribution to the partnership was 18, Dhawan’s contribution to it was 27.

Fifteen overs into the chase, Sri Lanka sought a bowling review. Dhawan was the batsman. It was struck down by Dar.

Sixteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. India had scored 73 without the loss of a wicket at that point. While Rohit was batting on 32, Dhawan was batting on 33.

Rohit, whose 50-ball innings included four boundaries, eventually scored 33. Seventeen overs into the chase, Mathews broke the 77-run partnership.

India scored 100 off 23 overs (138 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded nine extras at that point.

Dhawan’s half-century – which included half-a-dozen boundaries and a six – came off 73 balls.

The second-wicket pair put on 50 off 77 balls. While Dhawan’s contribution to the partnership was 26, Virat Kohli’s contribution to it was 23. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was three.

Dhawan, whose 92-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries and a six, eventually scored 68. Eighty-nine balls after Rohit’s dismissal, he was stumped by Sangakkara. Mendis broke the 65-run partnership.

India scored 150 off 32.3 overs (195 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded 11 extras at that point.

Kohli, whose 64-ball innings included four boundaries and a six, eventually scored 58. He was unbeaten, as was Raina, who had a reason to be in seventh heaven – his four-ball innings included a boundary.

Sri Lanka eventually conceded 16 extras. India, who scored 182 for the loss of a couple of wickets off 35 overs, won by eight wickets with 15 overs to spare.

Herath bowled four wicketless overs, conceding 14. Perera bowled half-a-dozen wicketless overs, conceding 25. Malinga bowled eight wicketless overs, conceding 54. Kulasekara bowled 10 wicketless overs, conceding 45.

Mendis, who bowled three overs, conceded 28. He picked up a wicket, as was Mathews, who bowled four overs, conceding 10.

India advanced to the final.