DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka: Dinesh Karthik struck 66 Thursday as India posted 268-6 in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka at Rangiri Dambulla Stadium.
Karthik’s knock came off 86 balls, with Rohit Sharma (41) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (38) also weighing in with decent scores.
Lasith Malinga and Thilina Kandamby took two wickets each for Sri Lanka, which must score at 5.36 per over to register a third successive tournament win.
India captain Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first ― and his openers got off to a steady start before Gautam Gambhir (15) was run out with the total on 38.
Karthik and Virat Kohli combined for a valuable 62-run partnership for the second wicket before seamer Malinga forced an edge off Kohli (28) to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.
Karthik fell when he mistimed a full toss from legspinner Kandamby and was caught in the deep by Mahela Jayawardene. He hit nine boundaries in his fifth limited-overs half-century.
Dhoni was next to go, caught by Nuwan Kulasekara off Kandamby, but Sharma’s middle-order innings underpinned India’s finish.
Suresh Raina struck 25 off 27 balls before being trapped lbw by Malinga and Sharma departed with 16 balls left when he sent a Kulasekara delivery to Farveez Maharoof.
Ravindra Jadeja (25 not out) held the innings together in the final few overs.
Kandamby returned best bowling figures of 2-37 while Malinga recorded 2-57.
India, who last won the Asia Cup 15 years ago, recalled offspinner Harbhajan Singh and seamer Ashish Nehra, who were both rested for the final group match, against Sri Lanka. Pragyan Ojha and Ashok Dinda were left out.
Spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga and Kulasekara returned for Sri Lanka, with Kandamby prefered ahead of senior batsman Thilan Samaraweera.
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