India wins opening ODI against Sri Lanka

India won the opening match of one day international series against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, negating Sanath Jayasuriya's effort to become the oldest century maker in ODI history.

India won the toss and sent Sri Lanka in, restricting the home team to 246-7 from 50 overs, a target it chased down with six wickets and 11 balls to spare, finishing on 247-4.

Half-centuries by Gautam Gambhir (62), Suresh Raina (54) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (61 not out) laid the foundation for India's run chase on a pitch that did not provide the usual assistance for the spinners later in the day.

India recovered from the early loss of Sachin Tendulkar (5), who was ruled leg before wicket to a Thilan Thushara delivery that pitched outside leg stump.

Raina and Gambhir put on a century stand for the second wicket, putting India on the path to victory.

Muttiah Muralidaran provided a timely breakthrough when Gambhir came down the track and chipped his shot to long-off where Thilina Kandamby took a comfortable catch.

Raina departed three overs later after a running mix up with Yuvraj Singh.

Dhoni arrived with the total on 137-3 and steadied the ship with an unbeaten half-century, his 26th ODI fifty, adding an unbroken 66-run stand with Rohit Sharma (25 not out) to seal the game.

The game was evenly poised with the total on 181-4, with India still needing 66 runs with 72 balls remaining. India opted for the batting power play in the 42nd over and the runs started to flow easily.

Earlier, Jayasuriya - aged 39 years and 212 days - became the oldest player to score an ODI hundred, surpassing former England captain Geoff Boycott who scored a century against Australia in Sydney in 1979 at the age of 39 years and 51 days.

It was also the first hundred by a Sri Lanka batsman in a home ODI in three and half years. Upul Tharanga was the last one to do so, against Bangladesh in September 2005.

Jayasuriya added 118 runs for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara (44) in 166 balls and a further 51 in 64 balls with Thilina Kandamy.

At 169-2 with 12 overs to go, Sri Lanka was well positioned as it took the power play, but it lost both its set batsmen Jayasuriya and Kandamby in quick succession to cede the initiative.

The series now moves to Colombo for four matches.