It was that sort of an Arabian night at the Sharjah stadium on Monday. Shot out for a miserable 179, nobody gave India even a ghost of a chance on this featherbed of a pitch against the strong Sri Lankan batting. Yet the two pacemen, Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar, somehow extracted life and fashioned a most improbable 81-run victory.

SRINATH CLAIMS 200TH VICTIM: Srinath, who today became only the third Indian, after Kapil Dev (253 from 225 matches) and Anil Kumble (208 from 152) to bag 200 one-day international wickets (147 matches), started the Lankan rout in the very first over by forcing Sanath Jayasuriya to edge on to his stumps.

If the tall Srinath had given the side a flying start, the other paceman,Ajit Agarkar did even better. Agarkar was sharp through the air, extracted late movement and used his deceptive change of pace to account for three quick wickets.

Avishka Gunawardane (0) was trapped in front and Marvan Atapattu was deceived with a change of pace. Aravinda de Silva was given a reprieve by umpire Steve Dunne when he ruled not out to a clear caught behind off Agarkar. But Agarkar was not to be denied his pound of flesh. He dismissed Roshan Mahanama leg before first ball to leave the Lankans tottering on 21 for four.

The stands were virtually on fire by now and both pacemen were bowling much quicker than they have in recent times. And when skipper Arjuna Ranatunga was caught bat-pad off Srinath, Lanka's number was finally up.

The two Indian pacemen complemented each other to set up the win while left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi kept up the pressure with a superb run out of Kaluwitharana and then scalped three batsmen.

Earlier, the Indian batsmen surrendered inexplicably to be dismissed forjust 179 runs.

Marvan Atapatu had a busy afternoon. Besides effecting the run out of Ganguly and later Anil Kumble, he pouched three catches to wreck the Indian top order. Sunday's batting hero Sachin Tendulkar, on whom so much depended, made 18 before emulating Mongia and falling in similar fashion.

Azharuddin who shuffled with the batting order, came out to bat after Robin Singh (3) was given out by South African umpire Dave Orchards, caught down the leg side. Azharuddin and Jadeja took the total from a miserable 36 for four to 88 before the former was brilliantly caught at deep mid wicket by Atapattu.

Nikhil Chopra (15), Agarkar (6) and Srinath (15) helped Jadeja nearly double the score after the fall of Azharuddin. Jadeja played a heroic innings, punctuated by hectic running and good placements.

India, with three victories are through to the final. The Lankans have only an outside chance.

Scoreboard

India: Tendulkar c Atapattu b Wickramasinghe 18 (28b, 2x4); Ganguly run out 0 (3b);Mongia c Atapattu b Wickramasinghe 1 (22b); Jadeja run out 64 (117b, 1x6, 1x4); Robin Singh c Kaluwitharana b Dharmasena 3 (8b); Azharuddin c Atapattu b Samaraweera 26 (45b); Chopra c Mahanama b Dharmasena 15 (32b, 1x4); Agarkar c&b Dharmasena 6 (9b, 1x4); Srinath b Vaas 15 (20b); Sunil Joshi not out 3 (5b); Kumble run out 12 (11b, 2x4); Extras (w10, lb 4, nb2) 16. Total (all out in 49.5 overs) 179

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Ganguly); 2-18 (Mongia); 3-29 (Tendulkar); 4-36 (Robin); 5-88 (Azharuddin); 6-118 (Chopra); 7-134 (Agarkar); 8-163 (Srinath); 9-164 (Jadeja)

Bowling: Vaas 10-1-37-1 (1w, 2nb) ; Wickramasinghe 8.5-1-27-2 (3w); Dharmasena 9-0-31-3 (1w); Samaraweera 10-0-35-1 (1w); Jayasuriya 10-0-34-0 (4w); Aravinda 2-0-11-0

Sri Lanka: Jayasuriya b Srinath 0 (2b); Gunawardane lbw Agarkar 0 (5b); Atapattu b Agarkar 10 (14b, 1x4); Aravinda c Mongia b Joshi 29 (67b, 4x4); Mahanama lbw Agarkar 0 (1b); Ranatunga c Robin Singh b Srinath 9 (14b, 1x4); Kaluwitharana run out 0 (1b); Samaraweera c Srinath b Joshi16 (48b); Dharmasena not out 13 (60b); Vaas b Joshi 4 (12b); Wickremasinghe b Kumble 3 (15b); Extras (b4, lb2, w2, nb6) 14. Total (all out in 39 overs) 98

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Jayasuriya); 2-2 (Gunawardane); 3-21 (Atapattu); 4-21 (Mahanama); 5-47 (Ranatunga); 6-47 (Kaluwitharana); 7-66 (Aravinda); 8-79 (Samaraweera); 9-90 (Vaas)

Bowling: Srinath 8-1-20-2 (6nb 1w); Agarkar 8-1-35-3 (1w); Sunil Joshi 10-1-17-3; Kumble 9-3-11-1; Chopra 4-1-9-0

Man of the match: Ajit Agarkar