India and Sri Lanka finished in a sensational tie in their tri one-day series international at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday. India skipper M.S. Dhoni needed to hit four off the last ball by Lasith Malinga but he was denied and the Indian players scampered through for three runs to level the scores. Both teams finished with 236 for nine from their 50 overs in a dramatic finale after India needed nine runs to win off the final over. Dhoni, who steered India to a final-over victory against Australia at the same ground last Sunday, threatened to repeat that success but was thwarted as the Sri Lankans searched desperately for their first win of the tri-series.
The tie lifted India to the top of the tournament standings ahead of Australia, with Sri Lanka yet to win from their three games.
Dhoni finished unbeaten on 58 off 69 balls with one booming six and three fours, while opening batsman Gautam Gambhir was out in the 90s for a second consecutive innings after he was run out for 91.
India looked poised to nudge past the plucky Sri Lankans in the final over but Ranganath Vinay Kumar was run out on the second-last ball by a direct throw at the non-striker’s end. Dhoni then faced a final ball shot for a winning boundary only for Sachithra Senanayake to cut off the ball and enable India enough time to take three and level the scores. It was the first ever tie between India and Sri Lanka in one-dayers.
Once again star India batsman Sachin Tendulkar failed to score his 100th international century and was dismissed for 15. Earlier, Dinesh Chandimal topscored with 81 as Sri Lanka reached 236 for nine off 50 overs.
Chandimal, 22, hit six fours and a six off 91 balls before he was run out and Sri Lanka, who won the toss, set India just over 4.7 runs an over to win. Sri Lanka never got going on a batting pitch as they seek a victory to stay in contention for the best-of-three match finals series next month.
Kumar Sangakkara scored just 31 off 56 balls with two fours before he was caught off a leading edge at mid-on from spinner Ravi Ashwin in the 20th over.
Skipper Mahela Jayawardene hit 43 off 49 balls and put on 94 for the fourth wicket with Chandimal before he was leg before wicket to Vinay Kumar in the 37th over.
Chandimal was out in the next over when batting partner Angelo Mathews went for a quick single to short cover only for Rohit Sharma to whip the ball back to wicketkeeper Dhoni to break the stumps.
Senanayake cracked 22 off 14 balls to remain unbeaten with Mathews (17) and Thisara Perera (5) out cheaply.
Vinay Kumar finished the best of India’s bowlers with three for 46 off 10 overs, while Ashwin claimed two wickets.
