SL registers an emphatic consolation win

Seam bowler Nuwan Kulasekara took a career-best four wickets to back up a maiden half-century from Thilan Thushara, guiding Sri Lanka to a 112-run consolation win after India had secured its first-ever one-day international series triumph in the island.

Defending a modest 227 runs to win, Kulasekara opened the bowling in the absence of Chaminda Vaas who was rested for this match. Bowling a tight line, Kulasekara shattered India's top order and claimed the wickets of Gautam Gambhir (11), Virat Kohli (31), Suresh Raina (10) and Rohit Sharma (3) to finish with 4-40.

A one-hour rain interruption meant the visitors, who won the series 3-2, had to chase 216 runs in 44 overs but were bowled out with more than 17 overs to spare for 103 runs, India's worst ever one-day total in Sri Lanka.

India opener Gambhir started nervously and was lucky to survive a close appeal for a catch behind off left-arm seamer Thushara's first delivery. But he scored just 11 runs before wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara took a brilliant catch close to stumps from a Kulasekara delivery with the total on 38.

Kulasekara then trapped Kohli lbw, and Raina miscued a pull and was caught by Dilhara Fernando just before the rain stoppage.

The start provided a perfect ground for spinner Ajantha Mendis who bowled Indian vice captain Yuvraj Singh (1), had Irafan Pathan (7) caught and two low-order wickets to finish with 4-10.

Earlier, low-order batsman Thushara's unbroken 94-run partnership with Jehan Mubarak helped Sri Lanka recover from an early slump and post a challenging total.

Coming to bat when his team precariously placed at 133-6, Thushara batted aggressively with No. 7 Mubarak, who anchored the innings with a 55-ball 47 not out.

At the innings close, Thushara remained not out on 54 off just 46 balls including six fours.

Ojha bowled best for India, taking two wickets for just 28 runs in his 10 overs. Both teams made three changes each from the last match.

Sri Lanka dropped out-of-form batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan and rested key bowlers Muttiah Muralidaran and Chaminda Vaas, replacing them with Mahela Udawatte, Mubarak and Dilhara Fernando.

India rested batsman Subramaniam Badrinath and bowlers Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar recalling Ojha, RP Singh and Pathan.