Man-of-the-Match Mahendra Singh Dhoni (67) and Gautam Gambhir (68) in action during the match against Sri Lanka in Karachi on Thursday. (AP, AFP) Asia Cup package on Page 18

Karachi: In what’s not exactly the norm, different teams failed to defend 308 on successive evenings at the National Stadium.

Gone, it seems, are the days when getting to 300 gave a huge psychological advantage, which usually got reflected in the result.

Perhaps the ball being changed after 34 overs, when it would be well scuffed to reverse, is a big factor now.

A day after being at the receiving end, Team India made Sri Lanka pay for resting two frontline bowlers — veteran Chaminda Vaas and the prodigious Ajantha Mendis — and, in the process, knocked hosts Pakistan out of the Asia Cup.

The Lankan strategy suggested they feared Pakistan more, otherwise they would’ve gone all out to beat India, thereby giving the hosts an excellent chance of making Sunday’s title round.

It’s to be seen just how smart the strategy was. On Thursday, India won by six wickets (310 for four).

The final, therefore, will feature holders Lanka versus India. A repeat, really, of the 20-04-05 title round clash in Colombo. Friday’s Pakistan-Bangladesh match has been reduced to one of no consequence.

“It’s going to be a test of the boys’ mental resolve... These back-to-back games are very demanding... We’ll soon know who stands where mentally,” a somewhat concerned bowling coach, Venkatesh Prasad, told The Telegraph in the morning.

Despite a shake-up in the line-up (Piyush Chawla and Yusuf Pathan got dropped), the bowlers still conceded many.

However, it’s not that any Lankan dominated beyond a point. With the law of averages catching up with Kumar Sangakkara, the start, in any case, had been anything but imposing.

It was much the opposite when Team India started the chase, with the in-good-form openers, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, milking the Dilhara Fernandos.

They put on 92 in a shade over 11 overs when Sehwag fell for 42. Gambhir was next out, for 68, but the momentum had been seized.

There were hiccups for a while only, with Suresh Raina (54, a reprieve on 11) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (67, at No. 4), the MoM, getting out in quick succession. Nothing short of a suicidal rush, though, could’ve prevented victory.

Sanity didn’t desert Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma and the target was reached with 3.1 overs in hand.

Yuvraj, in particular, unleashed shots that were worthy of a full house. Sadly, throughout the match, no more than a handful was in the stands.

“I’m very happy with the effort... We were tired, but up for it... We wanted to be in the final... Now, we’re looking forward to the two-day break,” Dhoni remarked.

Asked if there were areas where he wanted his team to improve, Dhoni replied: “In fielding... In the bowling department too...”

Mahela Jayawardene, the Lankan captain, was disappointed with his batsmen not getting to accelerate. “We kept losing wickets whenever we wanted to... We fell 20-25 runs short... The Indians got off to a great start...”

Both captains, incidentally, chose not to read much into Thursday’s result. Not that they talk big. Both also agreed that the best teams had qualified for the Big Day.

Going by the quality of their cricket (Wednesday was an exception), there’ll be little sympathy for Pakistan.