DAMBULLA (Sri Lanka), Aug 3: Sri Lanka vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene scored an unbeaten 94 to snatch a dramatic four-wicket victory over India in the fourth game that helped the hosts qualify for the final of the triangular series on Wednesday.

Jayawardene rescued his team in partnership with all-rounder Upul Chandana (45 not out) after Sri Lanka had slumped to 95-6 in the 26th over chasing 221 for victory on a slow Dambulla pitch.

The seventh wicket pair saw off the major threat of left-armer Ashish Nehra, who snapped up 2-23 during a superb 10 over spell, before stealing away the initiative and sealing victory with an unbroken 126-run stand.

Jayawardene, who could have been run out on nine when Harbhajan Singh missed a point-blank throw, passed 50 for the 22nd time of his career and hit nine fours and one six in his 115-ball knock.

Chandana provided Jayawardene with sturdy support, scoring 45 from 62 balls and hitting four boundaries.

Sri Lanka’s win confirmed their place in the final of the tournament on Aug 9. India’s second defeat by Sri Lanka means they will need to beat West Indies on Sunday to confirm their qualification.

Earlier, Saurav Ganguly had celebrated his return to the Indian team after a four-match ICC match ban with a hard-working 51 after opening the innings with Virender Sehwag (32).

The 33-year-old former captain also became the third batsman in history to score 10,000 ODI runs after team-mate Sachin Tendulkar (13,640 runs) and Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq (10,933 runs).

Ganguly and Sehwag had provided India with a solid platform, capitalising on two dropped catches by Sri Lanka’s fielders to add 67 in 94 balls for the first wicket.

After debutant seam bowler Pradeep Jayaprakashdaran bowled Sehwag, Ganguly then added 50 in 88 balls for the second wicket with Vangipurappu Laxman (22), who returned to the team after recovering from a back injury.

India had been cruising towards a large total having reached 117-1 in the 30th over of the innings, before Dilshan pegged them back with a tight spell of off spin, taking 4-29 from 10 overs.

Dilshan bowled Laxman, trapped skipper Rahul Dravid lbw first ball and both Mahendra Dhoni (20) and Suresh Raina (two) were caught and bowled.

However, Mohammad Kaif (34) and Irfan Pathan (36 not out) stole back some of the initiative at the death as 48 runs were plundered from the last five overs of the innings.

India struck in the first over as Upul Tharanga nibbled at an outswinger from Pathan as was caught behind.

Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara added 32 before Sangakkara was wrongly given out lbw to a delivery that pitched outside his leg-stump.

Sri Lanka remained in contention as Atapattu and Jayawardene shared a 42-run partnership in 51 balls before Atapattu misjudged a quick single and was run out for the third consecutive time in the series.

Nehra then swung the game India’s way as Dilshan edged behind off a loose slash and Arnold was pinned lbw by a delivery that cut back.

When Harbhajan Singh snared Dilhara Lokuhettige for nought, Sri Lanka had slumped from 78-2 to 95-6 in the space of 38 deliveries.

But Jayawardene bounced back to his best form and with Chandana launched an astonishing fight-back, their stand surpassing Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Dharmasena’s 110-run Sri Lanka record for the seventh wicket.

SCOREBOARD