Nail-biting finish in India-Sri Lanka match

Nagpur: Tillekaratne Dilshan once again gave Sri Lanka a rollicking start, which enabled them to sneak to a three-wicket win over India in the second one-day International here on Friday.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's robust century went in vain as India posted a challenging 301-7 after electing to bat at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground.

The Indian captain hit 107 for his sixth one-day century as India recovered from a shaky start to set a competitive target in the day-night match.

He received valuable support from Suresh Raina (68), the duo giving a superb exhibition of hard and clean hitting during their 126-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Dhoni, who survived a stumping chance off unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis when on 49, cracked two sixes and eight fours in his 111-ball knock.

Solid knock

Raina hit three sixes and four boundaries in his 55-ball innings as India plundered 102 runs in the last 10 overs. The hosts were struggling at 19-2 on an easy-paced track, but Virat Kohli (54) and Sachin Tendulkar (43) added 62 for the third wicket to steady the innings before Dhoni and Raina consolidated their team's position.

Tendulkar, who made his debut on December 18, 1989 in Pakistan, completed 20 years in one-day cricket with a solid knock after the early dismissals of in-form Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.

Sehwag (four), who hammered a century in his team's three-run victory in the previous match, was caught by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara while attempting to cut seamer Chanaka Welegedara in the match's first over.

The hosts suffered another blow a few overs later when Gambhir (two) was caught short of the crease after colliding with bowler Welegedara while going for a single.