Sangakkara stars in Nagpur

First Twenty20 International Nagpur Sri Lanka 215-5 (K C Sangakkara 78) v India 186-9 (G Gambhir 55) Sri Lanka beat India by 29 runs

A blistering innings from Kumar Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka win the first Twenty20 International against India in Nagpur.

The tourists blasted their way to a total of 215-5 thanks mainly to a fine captain's knock of 78 by Sangakkara off just 37 balls.

Gautam Gambhir did his best to keep India up with the required run-rate, hitting the third fastest half-century in the shortest form of the game.

However once he departed, bowled by Angelo Mathews for 55, the home side's chase subsided and they finished up on 186-9.
Boost

The victory is a much-needed boost for the Sri Lankans, who were beaten 2-0 in the recent Test series between the two nations.

Put into bat by home skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya gave the innings a perfect platform by putting on 43 in 6.2 overs.

Debutant Ashok Dinda eventually ended the partnership, dismissing Jayasuriya for 26, but the wicket only allowed Sangakkara to come in and dominate proceedings.

Fresh off a century in the third Test in Mumbai, the left-hander hit two sixes and 11 fours before being run out off the final ball of the 20th over.

By that stage he had shared stands of 64 with Dilshan (34) and then 69 for the fourth wicket with Chamara Kapugedera, who needed just 20 balls for his 47.

Mathews' unbeaten 15 from just four deliveries helped Sri Lanka ease past 200, though they were helped by some shoddy fielding from the hosts.

Flying start

Virender Sehwag (26 from 14) did his best to get India off to a flying start in their reply but it was Gambhir that led the charge.

The left-handed opener hit four boundaries in one Lasith Malinga over on his way to reaching 50 in only 19 deliveries. He added only five more runs, though, before missing an attempted paddle-sweep off Mathews.

From then on Sri Lanka encountered little resistance - big guns Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma all departing for single-figure scores.

Suresh Raina made 21 while Ashish Nehra managed a couple of lofty blows in his knock of 22, the tail-ender's eforts meaning the final margin of defeat was reduced to 29 runs.

India will hope to level matters in the second and final T20 match of the series in Mohali on Saturday, which can be seen live on Sky Sports.