But mendis

Sri Lanka: Fifties by Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis propelled Sri Lanka to 248/7, the highest total of this series, in the third and final ODI of the series against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium here on Wednesday. For India, debutant Riyan Parag was the pick of bowlers with 3-54 in nine overs.

Electing to bat first on a dry pitch, captain Charith Asalanka had wished to see a century coming from any of his batters. Avishka almost fulfilled that wish by making a fluent 96 off 102 balls, laced with nine fours and two sixes. But he fell four runs short of a century to become the first ODI wicket of an impressive Riyan.

With Riyan picking two more wickets by mixing his off-break and leg-break deliveries well, India clawed back to reduce Sri Lanka to 199/6 in 43.3 overs. But Mendis stepped up by hitting four boundaries in his 82-ball 53 at the fag end of the innings, as Sri Lanka hit 31 runs in the last three overs, an aspect which could be a game-defining one, considering spinners have got a lot of assistance –- mainly turn -- in the second innings.