Sri Lanka set India 274 after Jayasuriya ton

KARACHI, July 6 (Reuters) - A sparkling century from Sanath Jayasuriya helped Sri Lanka recover from a top order collapse to post a competitive total of 273 against India in the Asia Cup final on Sunday.

Jayasuriya thumped 125, adding 131 for the fifth wicket with Tillakaratne Dilshan (56), after Sri Lanka were in trouble at 66 for four.

Paceman Ishant Sharma took three early wickets and R.P. Singh wiped up the tail with three wickets to bowl out the Lankans in 49.5 overs. Only 57 came from the final 10 overs.

Sharma's three wickets in his first spell, including two in three balls, rocked the defending champions but Jayasuriya batted beautifully and savaged Singh in one particular over.

The left-handed opener, who made his 27th one-day hundred, was dropped on 56 by Singh off Irfan Pathan and made the Indians pay.

He went to his half century from 43 balls with six fours and two sixes and his second 50 took only another 36 balls, which included 26 from one RP Singh over.

Jayasuriya reached his century from 79 balls in the 24th over.

India's spinners Pragyan Ojha, Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag stemmed the run flow with some tidy bowling, Sri Lanka was unable to hit a boundary between the 22nd and 40th overs.

Sehwag trapped Jayasuriya who swept him straight to Ishant Sharma at deep square leg in the 36th over.

Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara was run out in the second over and Sharma sent back captain Mahela Jayawardene.

Sharma struck twice in the 12th over having Chamara Kapugedera caught off a miscued pull shot and bowling Chamara Silva for a duck.

(editing by Justin Palmer)