Sangakkara is in a rich vein of form at the moment

Kumar Sangakkara scored his second successive century to propel Sri Lanka to an easy win in their crucial match against Kenya.

The wicket-keeper, who hit his first one-day ton in the loss to Pakistan on Friday, followed up with an unbeaten 108-ball 103 as Sri Lanka avenged their World Cup defeat by Kenya.

It kept alive Sri Lanka's hopes of making the final, but Kenya are out of contention after losing their second match in a row.

SHARJAH CUP TABLE Pak P2 W2 L0 Bns 1 Pts 11 SL P2 W1 L1 Bns 1 Pts 7 Zim P2 W1 L1 Bns 0 Pts 5 Ken P2 W0 L2 Bns 0 Pts 1

Sangakkara clubbed nine boundaries in his knock, helping Sri Lanka to a formidable total after they won the toss.

Kenya's reply never got off the ground, and they were well short when Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed three wickets in the 38th over to end the match.

Sri Lanka, who handed a one-day debut to 20-year-old all-rounder Kaushal Lokuarachchi, were dealt a blow pre-match when premier paceman Chaminda Vaas was sent home with an injured ankle.

MOST ODI RUNS Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) 12,219 runs (314 matches) Mohammed Azharuddin (Ind) 9,378 (334) Aravinda de Silva (SL) 9,284 (308) Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) 9,029 (299) Inzamam-ul Haq (Pak) 8,957 (298)

Paceman Dharshana Gamage earned a call-up to the squad, but the only other change to the side came in the shape of Prabath Nissanka for Dilhara Fernando.

Opening bowler Martin Suji was dropped from the Kenya side for 21-year-old debutant Alfred Luseno, who opened the bowling and was punished for 26 runs in four overs.

Avishka Gunawardene and skipper Sanath Jayasuriya scored at almost five runs an over early on before both perished in the space of 14 balls.

Jayasuriya fell leg before to Tony Suji for a 45-ball 36 - a score that was enough to nudge him past 9,000 runs in one-dayers.

HAVE YOUR SAY Sri Lanka will prove that Kenya's World Cup win was a sheer fluke From Kuldip Singh, India Join the debate

Sri Lanka stumbled to 98-3 when Collins Obuya removed Marvan Atapatta to grab the first of his two scalps.

It was only when Hashan Tillakaratne shared in a 93-run stand with Sangakkara that Sri Lanka began to assert control.

Kenya's innings got off to a terrible start and they were 8-2 in the third over with both openers gone.

Brijal Patel became Nissanka's second victim in the 10th over, and the match was effectively over when Lokuarachchi removed skipper Steve Tikolo to reduce Kenya to 35-4 soon after.

Maurice Odumbe's gritty 42 ensured Kenya would total a triple-figure score, but the result was never in any doubt.

The winner of Monday's match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will meet Pakistan in the final on Thursday.

Sri Lanka: ST Jayasuriya (capt), DA Gunawardene, MS Atapattu, KC Sangakkara, KS Lokuarachchi, HP Tillakaratne, HAPW Jayawardene, HDPK Dharmasena, TCB Fernando, M Muralitharan, RAP Nissanka.

Kenya: KO Otieno, DO Obuya, BJ Patel, SO Tikolo (capt), TM Odoyo, MO Odumbe, HS Modi, PJ Ongondo, AO Suji, CO Obuya, AS Luseno.