India and Sri Lanka have had a pretty even record at finals till Sunday, when a stroke of madness changed everything.

India were crusing along at 76 for one, when a rampaging Viender Sehwag danced down the track to the latest cricketing sensation Ajantha Mendis to be stumped easily by Kumara Sangakkara.

That allowed the islanders to get all over MS Dhoni's boys as Mendis picked up three more quick wickets to throttle India. He with Muttiah Muralitharan spun a serious web around the Indians. Yuvraj was foxed by straight one, Raina played an extravagant shot at crucial stage, while Rohit Sharma fell to a one that turned late after pitching straight.

The difference between the two teams has been Sanath Jayasuriya, who has featured in all of the 12 finals Sri Lanka have played against India. He has scored 692 runs, with a highest of 189 at an average of 57.66, with two tons and four finals.

On Sunday, Jayasuriya walked in and ponded 125 off 114 deliveries even as wickets kept falling like nine pins around him. He blasted the Indian attack into smithereens and shocked the wits out of RP Singh, smashing him for 26 runs in one over.

Sri Lanka eventually ended up with 273 runs, enough to crush India thanks to some Mendis magic. India did miss the services of Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored 361 runs in the nine finals he has featured against Sri Lanka, with a best of 128, at an average of 51.57 with one century and three fifties.

Though Sehwag got India off to a superb start and MS Dhoni toiled manfully, Mendis created a deadly web to spin his country to a memorable win in a final that was majorly dominated by India until the 10th over of the Indian reply.

India would have also missed a spell like Ashish Nehra's 6/59 in the final of the Indian Oil Cup at Colombo on August 9, 2005.However, Sri Lanka had won the final by 18 runs, with Mahela Jayawardene bagging the Man of the Match award for his speactacular 83.

Jayasuriya's impact has been felt by India in past finals and it has hurt. Way back in the year of 2000, Sri Lanka romped home to win the Champions Trophy at Sharjah, winning by 245 runs. The lef handed mauler carted the Indian attack for 189.

The next time the two teams locked horns to bag the Coca Cola Cup in 2001, the Jayasuriya factor again weighed heavily on the India. He blasted 99 runs as Sri Lanka won by 121 runs.

Seven years down the line, Jayasuriya at a mere 39 again led a carnage. Mendis, the young 23 year old 'mystery bowler' shook the foundation of the best batting line up in the world, a batting line up that has put to sword some of the greatst spinners of all times.

The legacy of the finals between India and Sri Lanka has been decided by the great Jayasuriya. The STAR Cricket Asia Cup final on Sunday, unleashed a new protagonist in the folklore. The man they call Ajantha Mendis.