Kapugedera's 75 helps Sri Lanka post 308-8 against India

Chamara Kapugedera led the Sri Lankan batting with a fighting 75 as the defending champions piled up 308 for eight against India in their Asia Cup Super League match at National Stadium here on Thursday.

The 24-year-old added 78 for the third wicket with skipper Mahela Jayawardene (50) and another 68 with Chamara Silva (50) to bolster the Sri Lankan innings after they won the toss and decided to bat.

Kapugedera and Jayawardene steadied the innings through their 89-ball partnership after Sri Lanka lost opener Kumar Sangakkara (seven) and Sanath Jayasuriya (43) with the score reading 71.

Jayawardene reached his 46th one-day half-century off 62 balls but miscued a drive off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and was caught at long-off. The Sri Lankan skipper hit four boundaries.

Kapugedera hit seven boundaries and a six during his 78-ball knock before he was trapped leg-before by paceman Praveen Kumar in the 38th over.

Silva then took the baton, hitting two boundaries and a six off 56 balls before he was run out with five overs to go.

India, who must win to join Sri Lanka in the July 6 final, got an early breakthrough when paceman Ishant Sharma had Sangakkara was caught behind by wicket-keeper Mahnedra Singh Dhoni in the fourth over.

Jayasuriya batted in the same vein as he did during his 130 against Bangladesh in the Super League match on Saturday, driving and cutting with power.

He hit eight boundaries during his 37-ball knock before he was caught behind off Sharma.

Thilan Thushara (23) and Kaushal Weeraratne (23) helped their team notch 45 off the last five overs.

Sri Lanka rested their frontline paceman Chaminda Vaas and spinner Ajantha Mendis. India dropped leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and allrounder Yusuf Pathan and brought in Ojha and paceman Rudra Pratap Singh.

Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka:

Did not bat: D. Fernando

Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Sangakkara), 2-71 (Jayasuriya), 3-149 (Jayawardene), 4-217 (Kapugedera), 5-245 (Dilshan), 6-263 (Silva), 7-287 (Weeraratne), 8-307 (Thushara).

Bowling:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Pragyan Ojha, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar

Toss: Sri Lanka

Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS), Brian Jerling (RSA)

Tv umpire: Zameer Haider (PAK)

Match referee: Alan Hurst (AUS)