Sangakkara shreds India

Kumar Sangakkara's superb exhibition of power hitting in Nagpur rocketed Sri Lanka to a comfortable victory over India

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Kumar Sangakkara struck a dazzling half-century to power Sri Lanka to a comfortable 29-run victory over India at Nagpur in the first of two Twenty20 internationals.

Sangakkara blazed 78 from 37 deliveries, building sizeable partnerships with Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chamara Kapugedera as Sri Lanka amassed 215 for five – the fifth highest score in Twenty20 internationals.

India opener Gautam Gambhir made a bright start with 55 from 26 balls, but India’s chase faltered after his departure and the hosts managed only 186 for nine in reply.

Sri Lanka’s sharp performance in the field proved the difference as India slipped from 93 for one to 129 for seven.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni chose to field and Ashish Nehra and Ishant Sharma gave India a decent start, the two tieing down openers Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya to concede only 17 from the first four overs.

India’s fielding, suspect from the start, turned downright sloppy as Yuvraj Singh grassed Jayasuriya on four and Dilshan was dropped on 13 by Ishant, the bowler failing to hold onto a return catch.

Jayasuriya then smashed Nehra for five fours in the left-arm seamer’s third over, providing momentum as Sri Lanka scored 43 in the powerplay.

Ashok Dinda, making his international debut, provided the first breakthrough by removing Jayasuriya - held by Ishant at third man for 26.

However, Sangakkara swung the game Sri Lanka’s way with a blistering show.

The Sri Lanka captain, looking in excellent touch from the start, hammered left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha out of the attack, bludgeoning a six and two fours, and reached his half-century off just 21 deliveries by landing consecutive blows off seamer Dinda.

India briefly found success when they removed Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene in quick succession, bowled by Ishant and Yusuf Pathan for 34 and nine respectively, but Sangakkara found support in Kapugedera.

Gautam Gambhir hits out during a classy half-century, but his dismissl proved pivotal as Sri Lanka eventually cruised home

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Kapugedera, who survived a run out chance on 23 – Ishant again missing an easy opportunity – hit Nehra for four successive fours in the left-arm seamer’s final over. He was eventually bowled by a Nehra slower ball for 47 from 20 balls.

Sangakkara, grassed in the final over - again by Ishant, had steered Sri Lanka past the 200-mark before he was run out while attempting a second from the final delivery of the innings.

India began their innings with a required rate of just under 11 an over and Virender Sehwag was off the mark with a four.

The opener was nearly superbly caught by debutant Chinthaka Jayasinghe at mid-off, but only made 26 before falling to Nuwan Kulasekara, caught by Angelo Mathews at deep point.

Gambhir got the chase under way in earnest, smashing Lasith Malinga for four boundaries in the bowler’s first over as India finished with 77 from the powerplay.

Gambhir reached his fifty in 19 deliveries, but was bowled as he attempted to paddle-sweep Mathews.

Dhoni, who had contributed only eight in 61-run stand with Gambhir, departed cheaply - caught at deep-midwicket off Muthumudalige Pushpakumara.

Rohit Sharma was run out and Yuvraj capped a pathetic show in the field with a worse show with the bat as Sri Lanka tightened their grip further.

Nehra landed a few late hits en route to 22, but it was to no avail.