Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scored with a solid 97 as Sri Lanka prevented an Indian clean sweep with an emphatic 68-run win in the fifth and final one-day international here on Sunday.
The hosts posted 320-8 following impressive knocks from opener Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara (84), and then dismissed the tourists for 252 to register their first victory in the series after four successive defeats. It also ended India's nine-match winning streak, beginning with a 5-0 series victory over England at home last year.
"The wicket played a major role and it allowed us to push the score," said Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene. "Credit to India, they played really well in the series. We were up against a really good side."
India's batting came under pressure for the first time after the hosts made their highest total of the series, but only Yuvraj Singh posed a real threat with a fighting 62-ball 73. Debutant Ravindra Jadeja (60 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (53) also defied the Sri Lankan attack, but their efforts came too late.
"We won the series, but it is never easy playing in Sri Lanka," said Dhoni. "Sri Lanka played brilliantly today. Our bowling was not so strong."
The hosts never allowed India to build a big partnership with a disciplined bowling performance, with seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Farveez Maharoof, and spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis taking two wickets apiece. Sri Lanka strengthened their position after reducing India to 85-4 in the opening 15 overs, with Kulasekara removing in-form opener Gautam Gambhir (13) and Suresh Raina (no score).
Sri Lanka virtually made sure of the win when record-breaking Muralitharan held a return catch to dismiss Yuvraj in his third over. The Indian hit one six and 11 fours.
Muralitharan, who became the highest wicket-taker in one-dayers on Thursday, then trapped Yusuf Pathan leg-before for three runs. Sri Lanka's top order earlier flourished for the first time in the series, with Dilshan, Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya (37) dominating the Indian attack on a flat track.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sangakkara smashed one six and eight fours in his 70-ball 84, his third successive half-century.
Sri Lanka were strongly placed at 255-2 in the 42nd over before India struck back with four wickets for just one run, with paceman Ishant Sharma taking two in one over. Sharma bowled Thilina Kandamby (26) and had Chamara Kapugedera caught behind for no score to peg the hosts back. Dilshan was run out in the same over following a mix-up with Jayawardene.
Maharoof hit a 23-ball 32 with one six and three fours in the closing overs to help his team cross the 300-mark.
Indian captain Dhoni used nine bowlers, including four part-timers, but failed to stem the runs as Dilshan, Sangakkara and Jayasuriya batted comfortably against pace and spin. Jayasuriya exploded with a flurry of boundaries, pulling Sharma for three fours in an over. His cameo saw the hosts race to 66 off just 10 overs. Sangakkara looked in good form from the beginning, firmly driving and cutting to find various parts of the boundary. He outscored Dilshan during their big stand with his exciting stroke-making.
The wicketkeeper-batsman fell immediately after hoisting part-time spinner Yuvraj for a six over long-on, caught by Rohit Sharma in the deep while attempting another big shot.
SCOREBOARD:
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Sri Lanka innings:
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T. Dilshan run out 97
S. Jayasuriya c Raina b I. Pathan 37
K. Sangakkara c R. Sharma b Yuvraj 84
T. Kandamby b I. Sharma 26
M. Jayawardene c Raina b Yuvraj 1
C. Kapugedera c Dhoni b I. Sharma 0
F. Maharoof run out 32
T. Thushara c and b I. Sharma 11
N. Kulasekara not out 10
M. Muralitharan not out 3
Extras: (b3, lb8, nb1, w7) 19
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Total: (for eight wickets) 320
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Fall of wickets: 1-66 (Jayasuriya), 2-209 (Sangakkara), 3-255 (Kandamby), 4-255 (Dilshan), 5-256 (Kapugedera), 6-256 (Jayawardene), 7-277 (Thushara), 8-315 (Maharoof).
Bowling: I. Pathan 9-0-55-1, I. Sharma 10-0-60-3 (nb1, w3), Balaji 5-0-32-0 (w1), Sehwag 3-0-26-0 (w1), Jadeja 6-0-40-0 (w1), Y. Pathan 3-0-20-0, Raina 6-0-24-0 (w1), Yuvraj 6-0-39-2, R. Sharma 2-0-13-0.
Overs: 50
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India innings:
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G. Gambhir c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 13
V. Sehwag c Jayasuriya b Thushara 6
S. Raina c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 0
Y. Singh c and b Muralitharan 73
R. Sharma c Kulasekara b Maharoof 15
MS Dhoni c Kulasekara b Jayasuriya 53
Y. Pathan lbw b Muralitharan 3
R. Jadeja not out 60
I. Pathan c Kapugedera b Mendis 8
L. Balaji c Kulasekara b Mendis 7
I. Sharma b Maharoof 4
Extras: (lb2, w8) 10
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Total: (for all out) 252
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Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Sehwag), 2-9 (Raina), 3-52 (Gambhir), 4-85 (R. Sharma), 5-121 (Y. Singh), 6-138 (Y. Pathan), 7-193 (Dhoni), 8-217 (I. Pathan), 9-243 (Balaji), 10-252 (I. Sharma).
Bowling: Kulasekara 9-0-42-2, Thushara 6-0-34-1 (w1), Maharoof 5.5-0-46-2 (w1), Muralitharan 10-0-41-2 (w1), Mendis 10-0-44-2 (w5), Jayasuriya 6-0-28-1, Dilshan 2-0-15-0.
Overs: 48.5
Result: Sri Lanka win by 68 runs
Series result: India clinch five-match series 4-1
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Brian Jerling (RSA) and Tyron Wijewardene (SRI)
TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG).
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