Sri Lanka edge out Canada

Ajantha Mendis took four wickets as Canada fell 15 runs short of Sri Lanka

Rizwan Cheema’s defiance at the top of the Canada order failed to prevent Sri Lanka from recording a 15-run in the Twenty20 quadrangular series today.

Opener Cheema hit 68 off 44 balls - including four fours and six sixes - but Canada nevertheless fell short of Sri Lanka’s total of 153 for seven from their 20 overs.

Ajantha Mendis and Dilhara Fernando combined to help dismiss Canada for 138 after 20 overs, the former taking four wickets - including that of Cheema - and Fernando three.

Balaji Rao had done his best to stem Sri Lanka’s scoring early on with three wickets but a series of solid cameos - the most effective of which came with Mahela Jayawardene’s 35 off 21 balls - meant Canada were always facing a stiff task.

Canada’s batsmen failed to follow Cheema’s example, with the hosts’ second-highest score coming from Sunil Dhaniram, who hit 16.

Dilhara Lokuhettige joined Mendis and Fernando in ripping through the Canada order - four of whom failed to register a run - by taking two wickets as Sri Lanka progressed to tomorrow’s final against Pakistan.

Canada will play Zimbabwe in the third-place play-off on the same day.