Sri Lankan batsman Lahiru Thirimanne survived a Mankad dismissal to lead his side to 289 for six in their tri-series one-day international against India in Brisbane on Tuesday.
Thirimanne top scored with a quick-fire 62 for the Sri Lankans but not before the Indians withdrew an appeal when he was on 44 after being “Mankad-ed” by off-spinner Ravi Ashwin.
Ashwin legitimately removed the bails before he had bowled the ball when Thirimanne left his crease too early.
But after umpires Paul Reiffel and Billy Bowden talked to stand in skipper Virender Sehwag and veteran Sachin Tendulkar, the Indians decided to give Thirimanne a reprieve.
Ashwin (2-50) eventually got his man on the last ball of his 10th over when Thirimanne scooped the ball into the outfield and Suresh Raina took a superb diving catch.
Sri Lanka earlier won the toss, with captain Mahela Jayawardene choosing to bat despite the prospect of a seaming ball on a hot and humid afternoon at the Gabba.
But the Indian bowlers wasted the new ball by pitching too short and allowing the Sri Lankan openers to get onto the back foot and score almost at will.
Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan were untroubled as they brought up 50 runs from just 45 balls, but the scoring rate slowed slightly after that as the Indians at last began to find a better length.
They finally got the first breakthrough on 95 when Jayawardene (45) pulled a short ball from left arm seamer Irfan Pathan and Sehwag dived full length at midwicket to take a spectacular catch.
Dilshan followed soon after when he got the faintest of inside edges off Ashwin to give wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel a simple take and leave the Sri Lankans 104-2.
Umesh Yadav then removed the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara for just eight when he guided the first ball of Yadav’s second spell straight to Sachin Tendulkar on the boundary at deep third man.
However, Dinesh Chandimal and Thirimanne steadied the Sri Lankan innings with a run-a-ball partnership before Pathan bowled Chandimal for 38 to make it 195-4 after 39 overs.
Any hope the Indians had of limiting Sri Lanka quickly faded as Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews set to work demolishing the Indian attack, Mathews finishing 49 not out from only 37 balls with four boundaries and one massive six.
