KARACHI: India overcame the fatigue from playing a back to back match to overhaul Sri Lanka's 308 with six wickets and 19 balls to spare in the semifinal yesterday.

Their bowling could be improved and their fielding was sloppy but their batsmen were once again very solid. India and Sri Lanka will clash once again on July 6 in the final of the Asia Cup.

Earlier, three half centuries by Sri Lankan middle-order batsmen Thursday guided the defending champion to 308-8 off its 50 overs against India in the Super Four match of the Asia Cup.

Chamara Kapugedera, the 21-year-old righthander, top scored with 75 off 78 balls while captain Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Silva also made half centuries.

India conceded 46 runs in the last five overs with left-arm paceman Irfan Pathan finishing with the most expensive figures of 0-80 from his 10 overs.
Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma provided twin breakthroughs when he had the opening pair of Sanath Jayasuriya (43 off 37 balls) and in-form Kumar Sangakkara (7) caught behind in his opening spell.

Kapugedera then featured in two half century stands, adding 78 runs off 89 balls with Jaywardene and another 68 off 66 balls with Silva.

Jayawardene, who won the toss and elected to bat, hit four boundaries before he perished off the very next ball he faced after completing his half century off 62 balls. Gautam Gambhir took a well judged catch at long off which gave left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (1-55) his only wicket.

Kapugedera, playing in his 37th one-day international, completed his half century off 55 balls and also hit part-time off-spinner Virender Sehwag for a big six over mid-wicket.

Paceman Praveen Kumar trapped Kapugedera lbw in his return spell and Tillakaratne Dilshan (15) was well caught in the deep by R.P. Singh.

Kaushal Weeraratne (23) and Thilan Thushara (23) made sure Sri Lanka crossed the 300-run mark. -- AP