Sri Lanka lose to India in WT20 warm-up

By Staff Writers | September 15, 2012

Sri Lanka were bowled out 26 runs shy of their target against India in an ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match in Colombo today.

After winning the toss and batting first at the P. Sara Oval, India scored 146/5 in their 20 overs, with MS Dhoni scoring an unbeaten half-century.

India were struggling at 51/4 at one stage when Dhoni (55 off 42), along with Rohit Sharma (37 off 26), brought them back into the game.

Nuwan Kulasekara was the pick of Sri Lanka's bowlers and provided the hosts with the early breakthroughs.

But Sri Lanka's pace spearhead Lasith Malinga once again proved costly against the Indians.

When it was their turn to bat, Sri Lanka too lost early wickets and were at one point 74/4 in the 12th over.

Irfan Pathan helped India seal the deal with 5/25 and was ably assisted by Lakshmipathy Balaji who took 3/28.

Kumar Sangakkara, who managed a run-a-ball 32, was the highest scorer for Sri Lanka, while Jeevan Mendis (26) and Lahiru Thirimanne (24) also contributed.

The ICC World Twenty20 2012 gets underway on September 18 with Sri Lanka taking on Zimbabwe in the tournament's curtain-raiser in Hambantota.

Brief scores
India 146/5 (20 overs) - (MS Dhoni 55, R Sharma 37 - N Kulasekara 2/39, R Herath 1/8)
Sri Lanka 120 all out (19.3 overs) - (K Sangakkara 32, J Mendis 26 - I Pathan 5/25, L Balaji 3/28)

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