ICC World Champions Australia never fully recovered from a disastrous middle period of their innings when the slow bowlers pegged them back after a decent start.
An inspiring catch from David Warner lifted Australian hopes in reply when he took a fine leaping catch just inside the boundary rope to dismiss Sanath Jayasuriya for 2.
Dilshan and Sangakkara then saw their side to 62 off the six-over Powerplay as the runs flowed at a good rate.
Dilshan brought up his own 50 off 26 balls, when he flipped Watson over the head of the wicketkeeper for his 10th boundary, but he fell saw after when bowled by Michael Clarke.
Mahela Jayawardene (9) then took a wild swipe at Nathan Hauritz and got a top-edge to short third-man.
Two sixes off successive balls by Sangakkara off Hauritz then hastened the Sri Lankan victory although there was a slight stutter during Brett Lee’s third over when Silva pulled to short mid-wicket and three more dot balls followed. But Jehan Mubarak ended the over with a six just over the head of deep midwicket to leave the batting side with 24 to get off the last 18 balls.
Sangakkara reached his 50 off 40 with a delicate lap shot just wide of short fine-leg to help bring the equation down to 14 from 12 balls.
Mubarak brought the required rate down to less than a run a ball as Lee’s tournament ended as it had started and middle - by being hit into the stand for six.
Australia’s campaign was summed up when Mubarak (21 off 12 balls) smacked Lee to mid-off but the fielder could only palm the ball to the boundary as he leapt for what would have been a miraculous catch.
Mitchell Johnson’s wide to finish the match put the icing on the cake for Australia - not a sweet tasting one at that - as they bowed out of the tournament with an over to spare.
Australia’s total was much better than was expected at one time when they slumped to 94-6 towards the end of the 15th over.
David Warner (0) fell in the first over when he slashed Angelo Mathews to backward point but Shane Watson (22) and Ricky Ponting (25) steadied the Aussie ship in a stand of 48.
Spin then took hold as Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan (initially) put a block on the scoring. At that point Mendis had the exceptional analysis of 2-0-4-2.
Ponting was bowled by Mendis as he looked to make room to leg and then Watson was leg before during the off-spinner’s next over when he missed a sweep.
Brad Haddin went in embarrassing circumstances when he missed a slow full toss from Malinga and was bowled for 16.
Isuru Udana was another pace bowler to make full use of a slower ball when he deceived Michael Clarke, who could only send a leading edge back to the bowler who took a fine one-handed catch to his left.
Mendis and Muralitharan continued to put the squeeze on the batsmen and it was the former who struck for the third time when he trapped Mike Hussey in front of his stumps with a quicker ball.
From that point, however, the Aussie middle and lower order swung the match back towards parity with some lusty blows.
David Hussey and Johnson added 41 in 21 deliveries to destroy Muralitharan by taking 21 from his last over after the veteran spinner had conceded just eight from his first 18 balls.
Australia plundered 65 from their last five overs with Udana also suffering at the hands of Hussey and Johnson, although he did at least claim the wicket of the former, slicing a skier to backward point, during an over that cost 18.
Lasith Malinga’s final over of the innings encapsulated the whole batting effort at 12 were taken from it in between two wickets.
Lee was cleaned out by a yorker (but not before scoring 15 off five balls) and then a slower ball deceived Hauritz off the penultimate ball. An inside edge off the last delivery by Nathan Bracken meant Australia finished with all the momentum running their way.
It was not to last.
Courtesy: Yahoo
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