NEW DELHI. March 2: Sri Lanka elevated the art of attacking strokeplay to dizzy heights today with a six-wicket victory over India in a high-scoring- World Cup thriller here, reports AFP

Chasing India’s seemingly impregnable 271. the brilliant Sri Lankans went all out for runs on the pocket-sized Ferozeshah Kolla ground be fore cruising home with eight deliveries to spare.

Opener Sanath Jayasuriya led the way with a smashing 79 off 76 halls before skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (46 not out) and Hashan Tillekeratne (70 not out) saw their team home with a match winning stand of 131 for the fifth wlckrt.

) The impressive victory lifted Sri Lanka to the top of the table In Group A with full points from four matches and a game in hand against Kenya.

India, who have a 2-2 record, appear certain to fin Ish third tn the Group behind Sri Lanka and Australia.

Tife spectacular run chase overshadowed a brilliant 137 from India's wonder batsman Sachin Tendulkar — his sixth one-day century and second in four World Cup matches.

The in form 22-year-old. who made 127 not out. 70 and 90 in the first three games, slammed five sixes and eight boundaries before being run out in the final over attempting a sharp single.

Skipper Mohammad Azharuddin contributed an unbeaten 72 off 80 balls — his first major score in the tournament — during a brisk 175-run stand off 26.3 overs for the third wicket with Tendulkar.

India smashed 62 runs in the last five overs to reach a score which Azharuddin said before the match was defendable against the free-stroking Sri Lankans.

The prophecy went out of the window as the Sri Lankans bettered manager Duleep Mendis’ orders to get 100 runs in the first 15 overs, racing to the three-figure mark off just 13.4 overs.

Openers Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana launched into the bowling from the start, putting on 43 by the third over. The pair took 33 off seamer Manoj Prabhakar*® first two oxers.

They brought up 53 by the fifth over before ,Anil Kumble Erovlded the much-needed reak by holding a brilliant diving catch in the covers to remove Kaluwitharana for 26.

Asanka Gurusinha did not let up.-making 25 tn a 76-run second wicket stand with Jayasuriya to take the score to 129 for one by the 19th over.

Venkatesh Prasad saw the back of the dangerous Gurusinha with a low throw from the long-on boundary that beat the batsman who was

attempting a second run.

Jayasuriya himself perished two overs later. lofting Kumble down Prabhakar's throat at long-on to make it 137 for three.

In lijs next over. Kumble had star batsman Aravlnda de Silva stumped by wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia. But the experienced Ranatunga and Tillekeratne settled in to defy the Indians.

The pair ran quick singles and twos but did not hesitate to punish the lose balls for a boundary.

The effort earned the Srl Lankahs a rousing ovation from some 30.000 Indian fans, who earned their money s worth by seeing 543 runs being scored in an enthralling day's cricket.

It was not thp first time ihe Sri Lankans had defied a vi<

Mendis said he had asked his batsmen to go for their shots from the start. "Our plan was to ger 100 runs from the first 15 avers. becafike it would have been difficult to score off the Indian spinners on the slow wicket.

Tt was to our advantage that India went Into the match with Just on« spinner and played four seamers Instead."

Mendfs said Jayasuriya, who smashed 79 off 76 balls, played in his usually aggressive manner. "He is always like this, and it is good that he clicked today.

"Once we got off to a good start. I had nq doubts that the experienced Ariuna Ranatunga and Hashan Tillekeratne woujd take us through.

Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin complimented the Sri Lankans, saying "They ' played better than us and deserved to win

"ft was not that we played badly. You don't get 271 on the board every day. But the Sri Lankans paced the irinings well.

"1 always knew it would be difficult to defend anything less than 270-plus. but even that was not enough today."

Azharuddin did not agree it was a tactical error to go in with four seamers and Just one spinner.

tory target of over five runs an erm J

In the last World Cup in 1992. Sri Lanka overtook Zimbabwe's huge 312 with four deliveries to spare. Then In Shaijah last October, they fell just five short of passing the West Indies score of 333.

The Sri Lankan batsmen avenged the punishment suffered by tbeir bowlers at the hands of Tendulkar.

Sri Lankan off-splnner Muttiah Muraiitharan watched haplessly as Tendulkar swung him high for six. one delivery after being beaten by the enormous spin which went behind the wicket-keeper for four byes.

Tendulkar hit another six off Muraiitharan. one off leftarm seamer Chaminda Vaas and two off Ravlndra Pushpakumaras 48th over which produced 23 runs.

Azharuddin had four boundaries, while Vinod Kambli remained unbeaten on one when the overs ran out.

In the last round of league matches on Wednesday. India play Zimbabwe in Kanpur, while Sri Lanka take on Kenya at home in Kandy.

Sri Lankan manager Duleep Mendis said he was not surprised that his team could chase such a big score.

T knew that if w got good start we could do it. Our batting runs deep, so it was not difficult to go for the runs, on the small ground."