Images: India vs Sri Lanka, tri-series, Match 5

Image: India's Sudeep Tyagi (2nd from right) celebrates with team-mates after dismissing Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga
Photographs: Reuters

Electing to bat, Sri Lanka got off to one of their worst starts in recent times.

Opening batsman Upul Tharanga fell to the bowling of young Sudeep Tyagi in the first over itself.

Thereafter, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara tried to steady the Lankan innings. They stitched up a 42-run partnership until Dilshan was caught by Gambhir off the bowling of Zaheer Khan.

Sangakkara top-scores with 68

Image: Kumar Sangakkara tries to take the aerial route in an effort to accelerate the innings

The experienced Lankan middle-order collapsed without putting up any resistance. Mahela Jayawardene (5) was out to a rash shot, caught by Virat Kohli at short cover, paying the price of not keeping the ball down.

He was soon followed by Thilan Samaraweera (0) and Thilan Kandamby (1), who was victim of a terrible miscommunication and run-out. The Lankans were then reduced to 84 for 6 when in-form Thissara Perera (11) fell to Amit Mishra.

Skipper Sangakkara (68) played a controlled knock to ensure that the Lankan innings didn't fold up quickly.

Sangakkara-Randiv to the rescue

Image: Suraj Randiv (right) congratulates Sangakkara, after the latter scored a half century

Suraj Randiv came to the crease and partnered Sangakkara in the rescue effort.

Radiv shared a valuable 59-run partnership with Sangakkara. They ran well between the wickets and played to the merit of the deliveries.

Sangakkara was eventually out for 68, caught brilliantly by Yuvraj Singh off the bowling of Suresh Raina.

Maiden half-century for Randiv

Image: Suraj Randiv celebrates after scoring a half century

Randiv struck his maiden half century (76 off 56 deliveries) with six fours against his name.

He shared a 69-run stand with Thilan Thushara for the eighth wicket before he fell in the 45th over but helped stretch the Lankan score to 213.

The Indians wrapped the Lankan innings in the 47th over, and need 214 for victory.

Gambhir-Karthik give India flying start

Image: Gautam Gambhir acknowledges the crowd after scoring a half century

Chasing 214 for victory, Gautam Gambhir (71 off 86 balls) and Dinesh Karthik (48 off 40 balls) gave India a rousing start.

The duo were aggressive from the very beginning, hitting a flurry of boundaries with exquisite timing and took a lot of risks, with a couple of edges flying past fielders for fours.

Karthik, who was playing for the first time in the tournament, was the more aggressive of the two, hitting Thilan Thushara for three fours in the eighth over.

Thusara got his revenge on Karthik when the latter edged one into the hands of Sangakkara in the 12th over.

Kohli joins the party

Image: Virat Kohli raises his bat after scoring his fifth ODI half-century

Virat Kohli came in at No 3 and played perfect foil to Gambhir, who slowed down a bit after the initial flourish.

They shared a 72-run partnership to ensure that India went through without much trouble.

Kohli notched his fifth half century in his 18th ODI, which he made with the help of nine fours, while Gambhir, who was dropped twice -- on 41 and 44 -- smashed his 19th ODI fifty in his 94th match.

Kohli and Gambhir toyed with the Sri Lankan attack and ensured India a place in the final of the tri-series after crushing the islanders by eight wickets.

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