DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka: India’s pace battery led by Ashish Nehra demolished Sri Lanka to help their team win the Asia Cup with a comfortable 81-run win on Thursday.
Dinesh Karthik top-scored with 66 as India made 268-6 after electing to bat in the day-night final, before the defending champions and hosts were shot out for 187.
India, who last won the region’s premier one-day prize during the 1994-95 season, denied Sri Lanka a hat-trick of titles.
Nehra claimed four wickets, including two in one over, as Sri Lanka were reduced to 51-5 by the 16th over before being bundled out in the 45th over.
India never looked back after hard-hitting opener Tillakaratne Dilshan was dismissed off the fifth delivery, holing out to mid-on off seamer Praveen Kumar.
Kumar bowled an unchanged opening spell of nine overs in which he conceded just 29 runs.
Fellow seamer Zaheer Khan bowled Upul Tharanga, before Nehra wrecked havoc by having Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews caught behind in the 14th over. Nehra also removed Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara for 17, but Thilina Kandamby (31) and Chamara Kapugedara (55 not out) delayed the end.
Nehra’s 4-40 was supported by Zaheer’s 2-36 and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja’s 2-29.
“It is good to win back the Asia Cup after 15 years,” said beaming Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
“The team has put in a lot of effort in fitness and skills and it showed today. I was happy with the 268 we got, but the key was to get Dilshan out in the first over.
”Sangakkara conceded the hosts were “outplayed” by India.
“We played well throughout the tournament but the final is a one-off game and you need to be at your best to win. We were not on the mark today and were outplayed by India,” the Sri Lankan captain said.
Karthik put on 62 for the second wicket with Virat Kohli (28) and 46 for the third with Dhoni (38).
Rohit Sharma propped up with the middle-order with a fluent 41, before Jadeja boosted the score with an unbeaten 25.
Kandamby, who had failed to take a wicket with his leg-spin in 32 previous one-dayers, stunned India’s top order with the dismissals of Karthik and Dhoni.
Sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga finished with 2-57, while Nuwan Kulasekara claimed 1-44.
India 268 for 6 in (50 Overs) and Srilanka 187 All Out in (44.4 Overs).
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