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Colombo: Irfan got 5 for 25 as Sri Lanka were all out for 120 as India won by 26 runs against Sri Lanka in their opening warm-up match of the World Twenty20 at the P Sara Oval on Saturday
Continuing his fine run, Pathan ripped through the Lankan top order before coming back to dismiss the lower middle order in the end.
The Baroda speedster was ably supported by comeback man Lakshmipathy Balaji, who claimed 3/28.
Set a victory target of 147, Sri Lanka received an early jolt as Pathan castled opener Dilshan Munaweera on the last ball of the first over.
The 27-year-old then dismissed Tillakaratne Dilshan with the last ball of his second over to leave the hosts reeling at 15 for two from the first three overs.
Kumar Sangakkara (32) combined with Angelo Mathews (16) to resurrect the Lankan innings but with Balaji getting better off the later, the target seemed to be a distant one for the hosts.
Sangakkara, in company of Lahiru Thirimanne, slowly but steadily took the Lankan total past 70 runs, punishing anything lose dished out by the bowlers.
Their partnership was, however cut short as Harbhajan Singh, dawning the Indian colours after a gap of over an year, bowled Sangakkara out in the 12th over to put India in a driver's seat.
Thirimanne (24) was the next man to go, giving Zaheer Khan his only wicket of the match.
Pathan then came back to haunt the Sri Lankan batsmen as he dismissed Thisara Perara and skipper Mahela Jayawardene of successive deliveries before cleaning off Jeevan Mendis on the last ball of his spell to close the doors on the hosts.
Balaji completed the formalities as India walked away with an easy victory.
Earlier Dhoni hit an unbeaten 55 to help India finish with 146 for 5.
Dhoni's unbeaten 42-ball 55, including four fours and three sixes, revived India's fortunes after Sri Lankan bowlers had initially pushed the visitors on to the backfoot with early wickets.
Reeling at 51/4 at one stage, Dhoni, in the able company of Rohit Sharma (37), put up a 78-run stand for the sixth wicket to take India to a decent total.
Opting to bat, India not only lost Gautam Gamhir, who retired hurt in the very first over, Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina also failed to lay a strong foundation.
It was Nuwan Kulasekara who provided the Lankans the early breakthroughs by sending back both Sehwag (12) and Raina (13) cheaply in the fifth over.
Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh were expected to steady the boat but Angelo Mathews spoilt the Indians' plan by dismissing the former for eight.
Yuvraj, who made an emotional return to international cricket scoring a 26-ball 34 against New Zealand in a T20 match, also could not put up any resistance as Rangana Herath struck in the very next over to leave India struggling at 51/4 in 8.3 overs.
Yuvraj fell for a 12-ball 11, that included two fours. However, Dhoni and Rohit managed to consolidate the team's position and take the score past 100.
In the last over, Rohit fell for a 26-ball 37 with four hits to the fence and a six.
Brief scores
India 146 for 5 (Dhoni 55*, Sharma 37, Kulasekara 2-39)
Sri Lanka 120 (Sangakkara 32, Pathan 5-25, Balaji 3-28)
Result India won by 26 runs
