Mendis bowls Sri Lanka into semis

Image: Tillakaratne Dilshan top scred with a knock of 48

Opting to bat, Mahela Jayawardene struck an unbeaten 41 while Tillakaratne Dilshan made a classy 48 to help Sri Lanka post 158 for five on the board.

Mendis bowls Sri Lanka into semis

Image: Kumara Sangakkara contributed well with 35 runs off 35 balls

After Dilshan's dismissal, captain Kumara Sangakkara took the onus of guiding the Sri Lanka innings in his own hands and played the role of a sheet anchor as new man Mahela Jayawardene donned the hat of aggressor.

Mendis bowls Sri Lanka into semis

Image: Chamara Silva makes a great effort but misses the catch

Defending the total of 158, Sri Lankan skipper Sangakkara's experiment to start with Sanath Jayasuriya did not really click as Redmond got New Zealand off to a flier, picking 14 runs of the third over.

Redmond clobbered Jayasuriya for three successive boundaries and then followed it up with a six over long-off.

Mendis bowls Sri Lanka into semis

Image: Ross Taylor stumped by Kumara Sangakkara for 8

Ajantha Mendis showed why he is regarded so highly in world cricket, getting the wickets of Ross Taylor (8) and Scott Styris (2) in his opening over.

He foxed Taylor with his first ball of the match and Sangakkara completed an easy stumping. Then he disturbed Styris's timber with the fourth delivery.

Mendis bowls Sri Lanka into semis

Image: Jacob Oram clean bowled by Isuru Udana Thilakaratne

Isuru Udana struck with the last ball off the 13th over, clean bowling Jacob Oram for 7 runs.

The New Zealand team was all out for 110 in the 17th over and Sri Lanka won the match by 48 runs to go into the semis.

Sri Lanka finished as the No 1 team followed by Pakistan in Group F.

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