Mumbai, March 18: Sri Lanka cruised to a massive 112-run victory over New Zealand in their last World Cup Group A match at the Wankhede Stadium here Friday.
Sri Lanka, buoyed by skipper Kumar Sangakkara’s maiden World Cup century, posted 265 for nine and then stopped the Black Caps at 153 in 35 overs.
Legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who will retire after the World Cup, was the pick of the bowlers and exploited the turn from the track to finish with 4-25. Ajatha Mendis took two for 24.
The win takes Sri Lanka to the top position in the group with nine points while New Zealand are third with eight points. Australia and Pakistan, who face each other in Colombo Saturday, have also qualified for the quarterfinals. The final group standing will be clear after that match.
The Black Caps struggled to play the spinners. They completely lost their way from 82/2 in 16.4 overs and crashed out in 35 overs.
Skipper Ross Taylor (33) and Jesse Ryder (19) dug in their heels after New Zealand lost their openers Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill for 33 runs.
The two added 49 runs for the third wicket before Ryder, poking at a wider delivery from Mendis, thin-edged to Sangakkara, who showed good reflexes in taking the catch.
Promising youngster Kane Williamson (5) survived only eight balls before he was deceived by a doosra from Muralitharan and Sangarkkara swiftly took off the bails.
Muralitharan then got Taylor with another beauty which trapped him leg before. Taylor went for a review but replays showed it was hitting the top of the middle stump.
James Franklin (20) and Nathan McCullum (20) put up a brief resistance but did not last long. Lasith Malinga then knocked off the stumps of Hamish Bennett with a scorcher.
For Sri Lanka, Sangakkara’s century before the knockout stage must have come as a relief. The skipper had struck his first century in nearly three years and also reached 9,000 runs. Overall, it was his 11th ODI century.
Sangakkara’s last century came way back in June 2008 against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup.
Sangakkara (111) shared a 145-run third wicket partnership with his deputy Mahela Jayawardene (66) after Sri Lanka lost both their openers Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dishan for 19.
Angelo Mathews anchored the innings towards the end with his unbeaten 35-ball 41 with four fours.
Tim Southee was the best bowler for the Black Caps with three for 63 from his 10 overs.
The runs came sluggishly for Sri Lanka after the two early wickets, with the second Powerplay producing only 17 runs. But Sangakarra and Jayawardene were quick to accelerate the scoring and brought up their century partnership in 153 balls.
Sri Lanka got a reprieve at 87/2 when Jayawardene was brilliantly caught and bowled by off-spinner Nathan McCullum, who flew to his right and seemed to have got his palms underneath the ball. But Jayawardene was not convinced and the third umpire was called to see whether the catch was taken cleanly. The third umpire gave the benefit of doubt to the batsman.
New Zeland were unhappy with the decision and Nathan and stand-in skipper Taylor rushed to have a chat with the on-field umpire.
Before the match, Jayawardene had hoped to spend some time in the middle to get himself in the groove for the knockout stage and he must be happy with his effort. He played an able foil to Sangakkara, who went after the bowling. The former captain brought up his 50 off 74 balls and looked poised to go far but was trapped leg before by Southee.
His knock came in 90 balls with six fours.
Sangakarra and Mathews then scored at a furious pace and made ample use of the third Powerplay, taken in the 37th over, which leaked 45 runs.
Sangakarra came heavily on Southee and sent him for a six and two fours in the 39th over, which yielded 17 runs.
He continued in the same vein in the next over, putting his bat to Jacob Oram’s fullish delivery towards the leg for a four to reach 99 and with a single to fine leg and raised both his hands for his hundred, which came off 199 balls with 11 fours and two sixes.
He was bowled by Nathan when he tried to slog sweep.
—–IANS