India beats Sri Lanka, enters final

Set a target of 182 in damp, overcast conditions in south Wales, the Indians romped to victory with 15 overs remaining as Dhawan struck 68 to take his tournament-high haul of runs to 332 in four matches.

A fine display of seam bowling had set the platform for India in a repeat of the 2011 World Cup final, with Ishant Sharma (3-33) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-18) tying the top order down and Sri Lanka managing just 181-8. Only captain Angelo Mathews, with a defiant 51, rose above the mediocrity, with Sri Lanka hindered by a calf injury to Tillakaratne Dilshan that forced the opener to hobble off in the fifth over.

England, a tournament host thriving in familiar conditions, will be seeking its first 50-over ICC title in Sunday’s final at Edgbaston while India can confirm its status as the king of one-day cricket.

“They are a very good side,” Indian captain M. S. Dhoni said of the English. “We have played them quite often in the last couple of years so we know the same amount when it comes to knowledge and tactics of the English side. And they know the same about us.”

With just three survivors from the squad that lifted the World Cup in Mumbai two years ago, India was initially using the tournament to give some of its young or fringe players high-level experience. They have really stepped up to the challenge with four straight wins.

The team’s bowling attack has been surprisingly strong, especially Kumar and spinner Ravindra Jadeja, but the real revelation has been Dhawan, who has emerged from the shadows of long-time openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag to establish himself as a possible mainstay for years to come.

After scoring back-to-back centuries in the group stage — against South Africa and West Indies — as well as a 48 against Pakistan, the 27-year-old left-hander was full of confidence at Sophia Gardens and underpinned a chase that turned into a canter under threatening skies.

He was dropped by both Mathews and substitute Sachithra Senanayake and brought up India’s 50 with an inside edge that narrowly avoided the stumps, but otherwise he was class personified as he sprayed Sri Lanka’s bowlers to all parts using great footwork and technique in an 92-ball knock containing six fours and a six.

With paceman Lasith Malinga for once lacking any real menace, Dhawan and Rohit Sharma (33) had raced to 77 off 17 overs by the time the latter was bowled as he ran down the wicket and attempted to dispatch Mathews down the ground.

But what was always a tall order for Sri Lanka turned into a near-impossible task as Virat Kohli joined Dhawan at the crease and settled into his groove, moving the score to 142 by the time Dhawan was stumped by Kumar Sangakkara off Jeevan Mendis.

Kohli, with a brilliant 58, and Suresh Raina (7) saw the Indians home very comfortably.

So miserable was Sri Lanka’s innings that reaching 181 was viewed as something of a success.

Losing the toss was a big setback for Mathews’ men and India took advantage of conditions that were ideal for seam and swing bowling to reduce Sri Lanka to 41-3, with Dilshan having also limped off. He returned, still in clear pain, at the start of the next-to-last over to finish on 18 not out but would have been unlikely to fit for the final had his team even made it.

Kusal Perera departed for four off the 16th ball of the innings thanks to a smart catch at second slip from Raina, who then took diving catches off Sharma to send Sangakkara (17) and Lahiru Thirimanne (7) back to the pavilion.

A 78-run stand between Mahela Jayawardene (38) and Mathews at least steadied the innings before it petered out, with spinners Jadeja (1-33) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3-48) proving hard to put away. Indian wicketkeeper and captain M. S. Dhoni even gave himself four overs, a demonstration of how confident the team felt.

“The ball was seaming, swinging a little bit and the batters were finding it really hard to get the momentum,” Mathews said. “We didn’t play well but credit should go to the Indian bowlers. They bowled extremely well.”

The match was marred on two occasions by spectators invading the field of play — firstly in the last over of Sri Lanka’s innings when one fan ran across the eyeline of Rohit Sharma as he missed an attempted catch off Malinga.

Five fans then spilled onto the grass in the 18th over of India’s reply, but no players were endangered.