Sri Lanka cave in as Tendulkar hits top form

Australia beware: you may have to work harder than you think to retain the World Cup because when India get it right they are a class act. Just ask the Sri Lanka captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, following his side's crushing 183-run defeat to India here yesterday. Playing in this manner, India can beat any side and after their excellent all-round performance, which guaranteed their place in the semi-finals, Sourav Ganguly and his side have plenty to smile about. Not only are they moving into top gear at the right time but this result ensured avoiding Australia in the last four.

On current form the 2003 World Cup final, here at the Wanderers Ground in 12 days' time, now seems destined to be an Australia versus India affair. New Zealand may have something to say about this, especially if they beat the world champions today in Port Elizabeth, but India and Australia have the class and fire-power that other teams struggle to live with. As for Sri Lanka, who received their second drubbing in four days – Australia beat them by 96 runs last Friday – qualification for the semis is still possible, if they beat Zimbabwe on Saturday. However Jayasuriya's side will need to raise their game significantly if they wish to be worthy challengers.

It should come as no surprise that India were once again indebted to Sachin Tendulkar for setting up this victory. Although the Little Master is having a magnificent World Cup – when he scored 50 yesterday he passed his own tournament record of 523 runs set in 1996 – a little weakness has developed in his game. There are many worse failings than getting out in the nineties twice in nine days – Tendulkar scored 98 against Pakistan on 1 March – but one could sense the perfectionist was disappointed as he left the arena.

Helping Tendulkar put India in such a commanding position was his apprentice Virender Sehwag. If there is a more exciting or sublime opening partnership in world cricket I have not seen it and these two captivated a healthy crowd. Indeed it only took Sehwag seven balls to put the Sri Lankan bowlers firmly in their place after Jayasuriya had inserted India on a pitch offering pace and bounce.

Making his World Cup debut and opening the bowling, Prabath Nissanka had a day to forget. His first ball was smashed for four by Sehwag, who then hit the fourth ball of the over into the stands for six. The two Indian openers put on 153 for the first wicket before Sehwag, on 66, decided he was only dealing in sixes and holed out to long on.

After an enterprising start India's innings lost momentum until Tendulkar, who seemed to be playing for his hundred, was out sweeping at Aravinda de Silva. And even though a frantic last 10 overs produced 73 runs, Ganguly would have been disappointed to have only scored 292 when 320 looked par.

Ganguly's frown did not last long as Sri Lanka's reply got off to a pathetic start against some good but not outstanding pace bowling from Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan. Sri Lanka had no answers to the problems they posed and four batsmen were sent packing without a run to their name. At 15 for 4 within four overs, the game was over.

It only took India 23 overs to finish Sri Lanka off as they equalled the lowest score at this ground in a one-day international. These overs, like the wickets, were shared between the three seamers and it would not have come as a surprise if Ganguly had asked Sri Lanka to follow-on so his other bowlers could get some practice.

It was not Tendulkar who won the man-of-the-match award though. This honour went to Srinath for taking four early wickets and destroying any chance of a Sri Lanka victory.