Colombo: Sachin Tendulkar did the star turn once again with his teasing leg spin as India restricted Sri Lanka to 228 for nine in the final of the Asia Cup One-day tournament in Colombo on Sunday.

Tendulkar, who has cast a spell over rival batsmen in this tournament, answered his captain's call with two for 40 that took the sails out of the Lankan batting in the day-night encounter at the Premadasa Stadium.

Irfan Pathan pitched in with two for 33 to extend his tournament tally to 14.

Virender Sehwag picked 1-32 from his full quota of 10 overs and his tight off breaks often left the batsmen bamboozled.

Electing to bat, skipper Marvan Atapattu cracked 65 off 87 balls with eight fours and added 116 runs for the third wicket with wicketkeeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara who made 53 off 82 balls with six fours.

The two resurrected the Lankan innings after the early loss of the openers Sanath Jayasuriya (15) and Avishka Gunawardene (8) but the introduction of the spinners strangled the run flow.

Sourav Ganguly opted for his traditional seven batsmen and four bowlers line-up that included three pacemen, Anil Kumble making way for Ashish Nehra.

But it was the slow bowlers -- particularly the part-time combination of Tendulkar and Sehwag -- who did the trick on a turning Premadasa track and left Ganguly with no worries about the fifth bowler's quota.

The hosts were on the back foot the moment they lost their star opener Sanath Jayasuriya leg before to Irfan Pathan in the seventh over.

Avishka Gunawardene then made a wild heave at a harmless Nehra delivery to give a simple catch to Ganguly at short extra-cover.

India could have had their opponents in deep trouble soon but V V S Laxman at first-slip dropped a low edge off Sangakkara who was on six then.

Atapattu and Sangakkara then built the innings with some quick running between the wickets and the hosts seemed set for a big score until the spinners put the skids under their wheels.

The left-handed Sangakkara was reprieved once more on 38 when he was sent back by his captain and found himself stranded in the middle of the wicket.

But Dravid failed to collect the throw from Lakshmipathy Balaji cleanly and the batsman reached home safely.

The tide, however, quickly changed when Sangakkara was beaten by a huge turner from Sehwag and lost his off stump.

Mahela Jaywardene then attempted a sweep against Tendulkar's ripping leg spin only to top edge a simple catch to Yuvraj Singh at square-leg.

Panic set in the Lankan camp when Atapattu, having dabbed Tendulkar to point, was forced to respond to the call of Tillekeratne Dilshan and was truly beaten by Sehwag's throw.

Dilshan himself did not last long as he stepped out to Tendulkar, was beaten in the air and Dravid made no mistake behind the stumps this time.