India clinched their first-ever one-day international series in Sri Lanka by winning the fourth match by 46 runs on Wednesday to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
Choosing to bat after winning the toss, India built their innings around three half-centuries from Suresh Raina (76), Mahendra Dhoni (71) and Virat Kohli (54), before being bowled out for 258 runs in the final over.
In reply, the hosts lost wickets regularly and were bundled out for 212 in 46.3 overs, despite an ideal start from Sanath Jayasuriya, who made a 52-ball 60.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said his team’s inconsistent batting cost them the match.
”We are disappointed at the way we played. In one-day internationals we have not been consistent, especially with the bat,” he said. ”They played better than us and won the series.”
India seamer Munaf Patel trapped Malinda Warnapura lbw for a duck and Kumar Sangakkara continued his poor form, making only six before he was bowled by Patel. The left-hander has made only 36 runs in the series so far.
Despite the losses, Jayasuriya continued to bat aggressively, pulling and cutting the quick bowlers for eight boundaries and two sixes.
India captain Dhoni made a wise call in the 18th over, when he introduced off-spin bowler Harbhajan Singh to seize control of the match. Jayasuriya attempted to steer the ball from Harbhajan on the on side but only succeeded in edging the ball to Raina at slip to leave his side on 74-3.
Sri Lanka then suffered a devastating blow when in-form captain Jayawardene (16) was run out, leaving them on 106-4.
Jayawardene drove the ball to mid-on, responded to a bad call by his partner, Chamara Kapugedera, and was caught short of his crease.
Only 25 runs had been added when Harbhajan struck again, trapping Tillakaratne Dilshan (12) lbw, and Yuvraj Singh then had Kapugedera (30) lbw to end any hope of a Sri Lankan revival.
Earlier, Raina and Dhoni had frustrated Sri Lanka with a 143-run partnership, providing a base for a challenging India’s total.
Raina’s score came off 78 balls, including six fours and a six, while Dhoni made 71 in 80 balls including four boundaries.
Sri Lanka fast bowler Thilan Thushara had a career-best 5-47 thanks to some late wickets.
Veteran Chaminda Vaas became only the fourth bowler to take 400 wickets in one-day international cricket when he had Yuvraj caught a short mid-wicket without scoring.
The 34-year-old bowler, playing his 322nd match, follows Pakistan fast bowlers Wasim Akram (502), Waqar Younis (416) and fellow Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan (478).
The final match of the series will be played on Friday. — Sapa-AP