India vs Srilanka: ICC Champions Trophy 2013 - Report

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With a thumping eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second semi-final, at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, India barged into the Champions Trophy 2013 final. The MS Dhoni-led side will take on hosts England on Sunday in Birmingham. (Also Read: India's bowling 'isn't the best', Sri Lanka will target it, says Jayasuriya)
Before the batsmen helped Team India coast to the subpar target, the Indian bowlers dominated proceedings to set up the game after a rain delayed start. The Indian pacers bowled a tight line to stem the flow of runs. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave India their first breakthrough early in the innings and finished as the most economical of the lot, Ishant Sharma claimed three scalps. (Also Read: Dhoni wary of ‘dangerous’ Sri Lanka)
The spin duo accounted for four more victims to help restrict the opposition to 181 for eight. Ravichandran Ashwin, introduced into the attack as late as the 32nd over, got good purchase from the wicket and finished with three scalps, while Ravindra Jadeja claimed the key wicket of Mahela Jayawardene who was involved in a crucial 78-run stand with Angelo Mathews. (Also Read: MS Dhoni urges high-flying India to stay grounded: ICC Champions Trophy-2013)
After Kusal Perera’s departure, Tillakaratne Dilshan pulled his hamstring and retired hurt in the fifth over. Lahiru Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara then painstakingly added 19 off 10.5 overs, until Suresh Raina’s low diving catch to his right at second slip off Ishant Sharma sent back the former. And five runs later, the left-hand batsman too nicked an Ishant Sharma delivery to Raina. 
With the seamers getting assistance from the wicket under the grey skies, and Virat Kohli being a touch expensive in the earlier games, MS Dhoni handed the gloves to Dinesh Karthik and rolled his arm. He almost got the better of Jayawardene, if not for a DRS reversal for an lbw decision. It was Jadeja who then castled the former SL.
Although Mathews added 39 with Jeevan Mendis en route his half-century. However, with five overs left, the SL skipper decided to take on Ashwin to accelerate the run-rate. He holed out over mid-on but was dropped near the boundary by Kohli. But the missed chance did not cost India much as a ball later Mathews skied a carrom ball and Kumar took the catch to send him back for 51.
That triggered a mini-collapse as SL wickets fell in a heap. Thisara Perera hit Ishant to Shikhar Dhawan at deep mid-wicket to depart soon after. Nuwan Kulasekara was the next to be dismissed by Ashwin, thereby forcing Dilshan to limp back to the crease with two overs left. In the last over, Mendis was stumped off Ashwin as SL managed 181/8 in their 50 overs.
Continuing in their sublime form, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan got India off to another good start and laid the platform for the chase. Inching towards the target at a comfortable pace, Rohit Sharma and Dhawan kept their team on top. However, Mathews struck to end the first-wicket stand for 77 as he dismissed Rohit for 33.
Having survived twice off Kulasekara in two overs while on 18, Dhawan continued to gather runs unfazed and later pulled the bowler to the boundary reach his fifty. The southpaw’s innings came to an end on 68 when he stepped out to Jeevan Mendis and Sangakkara flicked off the bails to stump him. However, Kohli, who had started the tour with a century against SL in the warm-up game, came to the party. The No.3 bat brought up his half-century with a six as he took India across the line along with Raina with 15 overs to spare.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 181/8 in 50 overs (A Mathews 51, M Jayawardene 38, I Sharma 3/33, R Ashwin 3/48) lost toIndia 182/2 in 35 overs (S Dhawan 68, V Kohli 58*, A Mathews 1/10, J Mendis 1/28) by 8 wickets
Man of the Match: Ishant Sharma for his three-wicket haul.
Post-match presentation
Angelo Mathews: "The toss was crucial, we would have also bowled if we won the toss. The ball was seaming around, swinging around, the pitch was two-paced, our batsmen found it difficult. But credit should go the Indians."

MS Dhoni: "I think it is a well-written script, good toss to win, started well by the bowler, unfortunately for SL they lost Dilshan, we capitalised on that, then the bowlers bowled well, especially the spinners. I think it is important to have good bowlers in the side. The ball was still doing a bit., Bhuvnesh had already bowled 8 or 9, we wanted to keep some of the fast bowlers' overs for the death, so with Karthik around I think might as well give it a go. I thought even if it goes badly, I'll bowl one over. It went okay so I bowled another ... England are a very good side, and we have played a lot against them in the last couple of years."

Man of the Match is Ishant Sharma: "My strength is the bounce, I stick to my strength. I think up front Umesh and Bhuvi bowled really well. I think the conditions were really favourable here, in the previous games the wickets were quite flat."

source: bcci.tv

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