Barring the upcoming semi-finals and the final, this was probably the singular most important game of the 2010 World Twenty20. India were desperate for a win, if they entertained even a hope of qualifying for the semi-finals. Sri Lanka were forced into a must-win scenario because of their heavy defeat to Australia. The West Indies were hoping for an Indian win, as that result would have eased their own path to the semi-finals; a Sri Lankan win would have put pressure on the West Indies to beat Australia by 24 runs or greater in their game.
Knowing that India needed to win by 20 or more runs, Mahendra Singh Dhoni batted first after winning the toss. Dinesh Karthik got things off to a positive start by cutting Angelo Mathews' first ball for 4, but was caught and bowled by Lasith Malinga for 13 in the fifth over. Malinga also accounted for Gautam Gambhir for 41 (who was dropped by Kumar Sangakkara when he scored just 5), but by that point India were already 90/1 in the 10th over. With Dhoni at the crease, and Suresh Raina bringing his 50 up in 37 balls, India were set for an onslaught that would have compensated for their 20-run handicap, but tight death bowling from the Sri Lankans (led by Thissara Perera, 3-0-15-1) meant India scored only 73 runs for the loss of four wickets in the last 10 overs. India finished on 163/5, leaving Sri Lanka with a total of 164 to win the game, and at least 144 to eliminate India from the tournament.
Mahela Jayawardne glanced the first delivery of the Sri Lankan reply for four, but was soon caught at slip off Ashish Nehra. Tillekeratne Dilshan joined Sanath Jayasuria, who didn't last long, chipping Vinay Kumar to midwicket for 0, and Sri Lanka were in early trouble at 6/2. On a turgid pitch, Sangakkara rotated the strike while Dilshan hit 26 runs off back-to-back overs from Nehra and India's best bowler of the tournament, Harbhajan Singh. Then Yusuf Pathan struck, removing Dilshan for a confidence-improving 33 off 26. Sri Lanka were 49/3, but sixes from Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews kept them in the hunt. After two more sixes from a Yusuf Pathan over, Sangakkara was bowled by Vinay Kumar for 46, bringing Chamara Kapugedera out with 52 required from 24 to win, and 32 from 24 to eliminate India. Kapugedera and Mathews shared boundaries until Kapugedera hit two consecutive sixes to knock India out of the World Cup, and leave Sri Lanka 13 off the last six to win. A six from Mathews off the first ball of the over, and another from Kapugedera off the last ball of the match sealed the victory by 5 wickets. Sri Lanka finished on 167/5.
After the crippling loss to Australia, Kumar Sangakkara spoke of how important partnerships were in winnings matches. It sounds elementary, but partnerships for the 3rd, 4th and 5th wickets yielded 43, 56 and 56 runs, respectively. Even when the required run rate hit 13 an over, Sri Lanka kept wickets in hand. India suffered from not capitalizing on their good start, and their bowlers paid the price - Nehra went at 11 an over, and Harbhajan went wicketless at 8.75 an over. While Sri Lanka have one foot in the semi-finals (depending on the result of the Australia/West Indies game), India leave the World Twenty20 with no victories in the Super Eights stage, and their triumph at the inaugural World Cup in 2007 looking like a very distant memory.