India easily disposed of Sri Lanka in the CricInfo Women's World Cup and reminded the improvers of this year's Cup that they still have a way to go to be fully competitive.

India played well below their potential in taking the win. They never took to the Sri Lankan bowling with anything like an obvious plan.

A haphazard batting approach, with little clinical running between the wickets, by the Indians will be a concern before Wednesday's semi-final with New Zealand.

The top order struggled against the Sri Lankans greatest asset - their opening attack of Rasanjali Silva and Champa Seneviratne.

India did show they were looking at adopting the pinch-hitting role at the top of the order with Smitha Harikrishna used to try and boost the scoring from the start. But it was a scheme that didn't work with both skipper Anju Jain and Harikrishna back in the tent with the score on 51.

What followed was a record-breaking 151-run stand between the CricInfo Player of the Match Chanderkanta Kaul and Anjum Chopra. There's was the second-highest third-wicket stand in all One-Day Internationals behind England's Carol Hodges and Helen Plimmer 213 against Ireland in 1993.

It was also the second highest partnership for India in ODIs following the 258 unbeaten opening stand by Mithali Raj and Reshma Gandhi, also against Ireland, at Milton Keynes, in 1999.

They were finally parted at 202 in the 46th over. Kaul, the dominant partner was out for 80, while Chopra batted through to the end with 68 in India's 230/4.

Sri Lanka, lost its openers with only one run on the board, and from that point it seemed the side was looking to bat out the 50 overs - it failed by four balls.

If that was the policy it was short-sighted because the Sri Lankans had earlier shown that they liked to play their shots and seemed most natural at that part of their game.

However, there was a benefit for India in the field.

Kavita Roy was given the chance to make her international debut after a six-game wait at the tournament. She took her chance well and her 10 overs provided two wickets for India at only 21 runs.

Sri Lanka showed that while it had learnt much in the tournament, it still hadn't conquered its problems with running between the wickets.

The dismissal off Champa Sugathadasa was almost comical. Sugathadasa and Hiroshi Abeysinghe, who was one of two players to score 26, were sprawled on the ground at the wicket-keeper's end of the pitch while the ball was down at the bowler's end, in the bowler's hand with the bails in the process of being broken.

Sri Lanka was finally all out for 89 in the 50th over.

© CricInfo