India beat Sri Lanka to reach Champions Trophy final
CARDIFF: World champions India thrashed Sri Lanka by eight wickets at Cardiff on Thursday to set up a Champions Trophy final against tournament hosts England at Edgbaston on Sunday.
India, chasing a modest target of 182, finished on 182 for two with 15 overs to spare to set up a final against England, who beat South Africa by seven wickets at The Oval on Wednesday.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan made 68 and Virat Kohli was 58 not out.
The course of Thursday's match, a repeat of the 2011 World Cup final India won by six wickets in Mumbai, was set in the first innings.
After India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss, his seamers exploited the helpful overcast conditions as Sri Lanka were restricted to 181 for eight.
Ishant Sharma took three wickets for 33 runs following impressive work by new-ball duo Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews top scored with 51 in an innings where no other batsman made more than the 38 of Mahela Jayawardene, who two years ago became the only man to score a hundred in a losing cause in a World Cup final. (AFP)
