Kohli-led India beat SL; Advance

India made no changes to their playing eleven.

Sri Lanka made three changes to the eleven that last played the Indians – Kusal Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara and Sachithra Senanayake made way for Jeevan Mendis, Dilhara Lokuhettige and Shaminda Eranga.

On winning the toss, Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka’s skipper, inserted the Indians.

India’s innings was reduced to a 29-over innings.

The first Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 37, for the loss of a wicket.

Shikhar Dhawan, whose 16-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 15. Thirty-eight balls into the match, he was caught by Mahela Jayawardene. Mathews broke the 27-run stand.

India scored 50 off 15 overs (91 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded three extras at that point.

Sixteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. India scored 57 for the loss of a wicket at that point. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India’s skipper, were batting on 19 apiece.

Rohit, whose 83-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, scored 48. He was unbeaten.

Kohli, whose 52-ball innings included four boundaries, scored (Hera)thirty-one. Eighty-five balls after Dhawan’s dismissal, he was trapped leg before wicket by Rangana, who broke the 49-run stand.

India scored 100 off 24.5 overs (150 balls). Sri Lanka had conceded half-a-dozen extras at that point.

Dinesh Karthik, whose 18-ball innings included a six, scored 12. Thirty-nine balls after Kohli’s dismissal, Herath broke the 35-run stand.

Suresh Raina, who scored four, had a reason to be in seventh heaven – he was unbeaten.

Sri Lanka eventually conceded nine extras. Twenty-nine balls into India’s innings, there was an interruption due to rain. They had scored 119 for the loss of three wickets at that point.

Mendis, who bowled a wicketless over, conceded four.

Lasith Malinga wasn’t in seventh heaven, because he bowled three wicketless overs, including a maiden.

Eranga, who bowled half-a-dozen wicketless overs, conceded 27.

Lokuhettige, who bowled eight wicketless overs, conceded 40.

Mathews bowled five overs, including a maiden. He conceded five, picking up a wicket.

Herath, who bowled half-a-dozen overs, conceded 32. He picked up a couple of scalps.

Sri Lanka’s target was revised to 178 off 26 overs.

The first Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 18, for the loss of a couple of wickets.

Upul Tharanga, whose 11-ball innings included a boundary, scored half-a-dozen. Thirteen balls into the chase, he was caught by Suresh Raina. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the player of the match, broke the 14-run stand.

The second-wicket pair didn’t get off the (Ku)mark. Sangakkara, who faced a ball, didn’t open his account. The next ball, he was trapped leg before wicket by Kumar.

Jayawardene, whose run-a-ball innings included a boundary, scored 11. Twenty-eight balls later, he was caught by Murali Vijay. Kumar broke the 13-run stand.

Lahiru Thirimanne, who faced three balls, didn’t open his account. Nine balls later, he was caught by Kohli. Kumar broke the four-run stand.

Sri Lanka scored 100 off 12.4 overs (76 balls). India had conceded half-a-dozen extras at that point.

Mathews, whose 11-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 10. Thirty-three balls after Thirimanne’s dismissal, he was caught by Karthik. Ravindra Jadeja broke the 25-run stand.

Dinesh Chandimal, whose 64-ball innings included a boundary and the only six of the innings, scored 26. A couple of overs later, he was stumped by Karthik. Needless to say, Jadeja was in seventh heaven.

Mendis, whose 16-ball innings included a boundary, scored 13. Three overs later, Ravichandran Ashwin broke the 15-run stand.

Herath, who faced half-a-dozen balls, scored four. Thirteen balls later, he was caught by Vijay. Ishant Sharma broke the six-run stand.

The second Powerplay of Sri Lanka’s innings – which was the batting Powerplay – was between the 24^th and the 26^th over. They scored nine, for the loss of a couple of wickets.

Lokuhettige, who faced 22 balls, eventually scored half-a-dozen. Thirteen balls later, he was caught by Karthik. Ishant broke the three-run stand.

Eranga, who faced eight balls, scored just a couple. He was unbeaten.

Malinga, whose five-ball innings included a boundary, had no reason to be in seventh heaven – eight balls later, he was caught by Jadeja. Umesh Yadav broke the nine-run stand.

India eventually conceded 11 extras. Sri Lanka, who were bundled out for 96 off 24.4 overs, lost by 81 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Yadav bowled 4.4 overs, conceding 28. He picked up a wicket, as did Ashwin, who bowled five overs, conceding 20.

Ishant bowled four overs, conceded 17. He picked up two scalps, as did Jadeja, who bowled five overs, conceding 17.

Kumar bowled half-a-dozen overs, including a maiden. He conceded eight, picking up four scalps.

India and Sri Lanka advanced to the final.