India's captain Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag (right) and Yuvraj Singh (top left) react after India lost the World Cup cricket match against Sri Lanka in Port-of-Spain yesterday. - Reuters

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (Reuters):

India virtually crashed out in the first round of the World Cup after they suffered a shattering 69-run defeat in their crunch Group B match against Sri Lanka yesterday.

A stunning batting collapse on a good Queen's Park Oval pitch condemned India to a total of 185 all out and allowed Sri Lanka to top the group with a maximum six points.

The 1983 champions were skittled in the 44th over as they failed miserably in their attempt to chase Sri Lanka's challenging total of 254 for six.

India's slim hopes of progressing now hinge on an unlikely defeat for Bangladesh in tomorrow's final group game against debutants Bermuda.

The team, who have won just one out of their three games in Trinidad, paid the price for a shock defeat against Bangladesh last Saturday and look set to join Pakistan on an early flight out of the Caribbean.

Both openers Robin Uthappa (18) and Saurav Ganguly (7) threw away their wickets by hitting out against experienced paceman Chaminda Vaas before India were reduced to 136 for seven.

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed the well-set Virender Sehwag (48) and the dangerous Mahendra Dhoni, for a first ball duck, to kill any Indian hopes of a fightback.

MAGNIFICENT SHOWING

Sachin Tendulkar was out for a third ball duck in possibly his last World Cup innings after playing fast bowler Dilhara Fernando on to the stumps.

Skipper Rahul Dravid, batting with a runner in the late stages due to a calf injury, top-scored with 60 before being the eighth batsman to be dismissed.

The Indian defeat somewhat took away attention from Sri Lanka's magnificent showing in the World Cup so far. They will carry two points into the Super Eights for beating a fellow qualifying side.

The result left millions of fans dejected in cricket-mad India as well as thousands of supporters in the stadium.

Muralitharan took three for 41 and Vaas 2-39.

Sri Lanka's authoritative batting display was in start contrast to India's meek surrender.

Opening batsman Upul Tharanga (64) and Chamara Silva (59) struck fifties to guide Sri Lanka to 254 for six after being asked to bat first in seaming conditions by Dravid.

Silva struck his third successive fifty before he was dismissed for the first time in four matches. The 27-year-old, who had scored 107, 55 and 52 without being out before Friday's match eventually fell, nicking Zaheer Khan behind the stumps in a bid to step up scoring.

Tharanga steadied the innings by scoring his sixth one-day fifty after pacemen Zaheer and Ajit Agarkar removed the dangerous Sanath Jayasuriya (6) and skipper Mahela Jayawardene cheaply. He hit six fours in his 90-ball knock.

The seven-week event concludes with the final in Barbados on April 28.