Sri Lanka produced fine display of bowling and batting to register convincing 51-run victory over India in the 8th ODI of the tri-series at the Gabba in Brisbane.
This is India's second defeat in a row after losing to Australia by 110 runs on Friday. With this defeat, Sri Lanka moved to second spot as India went down to bottom of the table.
Irfan Pathan waged a lone battle in the end as he scored quick-fire 47 off just 34 balls with the help of seven boundaries. Thisara Perera scalped the dangerous southpaw to end Indian innings at 238 in the 46th over.
Chasing a stiff target of 290, India were never in a match got as they lost top three batsmen under the 12 overs.
Pacer Farveez Maharoof gave Sri Lanka a crucial breakthrough as he removed Suresh Raina to dent Indian run chase.Raina added valuable 92 runs partnership for the fourth wicket to revive India after losing early wickets. Raina contributed 32 runs in 55 balls with the help of a boundary.
Virat Kohli, who slammed 20th ODI fifty, made hard fought 66 in 83 balls that included two boundaries.
Nuwan Kulasekara dismissed Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir in his alternate overs to rattle India.
Kulasekara took his second wicket when he had Gambhir caught by Thisara Perera at gully.
Kulasekara took his first wicket when Tendulkar edged a delivery onto his stumps.
India's run chase got off to a disastrous start as stand-in captain Virender Sehwag fell on the second delivery.
Sehwag reached out to a wide delivery from Lasith Malinga and slashed it straight into the hands of Nuwan Kulasekara at third man.
Earlier, half-centuries by Lahiru Thiramanne and Tillakaratne Dilshan and an unbeaten 49 by Angelo Matthews powered Sri Lanka to 289/6.
Virat Kohli, who was made to bowl the last over of the Sri Lankan innings, conceded 14 runs.
Lahiru Thiramanne hit a run-a-ball 62 before hitting a R Ashwin delivery in the covers for Suresh Raina to take the catch.
Thiramanne reached his 50 off 53 balls.
Irfan Pathan clean bowled Dinesh Chandimal with a yorker as Sri Lanka lost their fourth wicket.
Chandimal and Thiramanne put up a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket to steady Sri Lanka.
Sachin Tendulkar took a good catch at fine leg to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara off Umesh Yadav as Sri Lanka lost their third wicket.
Ravichandran Ashwin gave India the second breakthrough when he had Tillakaratne Dilshan caught behind by Parthiv Patel.
Ashwin struck with a length delivery well outside off that did not turn much but bounced more than Dilshan expected it to and he got a thin top edge through for Patel to take a good catch.
Dilshan reached his 26th fifty soon after stand-in Indian captain Virender Sehwag took a superb diving catch at mid-wicket to dismiss Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene off Irfan Pathan.
Jayawardene pulled a short of length delivery over the leg side, but didn't time it too well and Sehwag flew to his left at mid-wicket to pull off a stunner.
Openers Dilshan and Jayawardene brought up the Sri Lankan fifty in the eighth over.
The start came after Jayawardene won the toss and chose to bat.
For India, Virender Sehwag, Parthiv Patel and R Ashwin come in place of Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan. Sri Lanka are unchanged from the last match.
The pitch looks a good batting track but it would be difficult to chase under lights as the bowlers will get some movement under lights.
A win for Sri Lanka on Tuesday will put them on par with India on 10 points, that too with one less game. Besides, they also boast of a much better run-rate. As of now Australia are sitting pretty with 14 points from 5 matches, India have 10 from 5 while Sri Lanka have 7 points from 4 matches.
