India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed 16 off the final over to lead his team to a one-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the Tri-Nations series final on Thursday.
Dhoni finished on 45 not out off 52 balls as India chased down their target of 202 with two balls to spare.
Rohit Sharma topscored for India with 58 off 89 balls. Rangana Herath was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 4-20 off his 10 overs.
Earlier Kumar Sangakkara topscored for Sri Lanka with 71 off 100 balls in his side’s tally of 201 all out. Ravindra Jadeja was the best of India’s bowlers with 4-23.
The islanders lost eight for 30, which ultimately proved the difference, although they had their chances to steal the win as well as grounds for grievance that Dhoni should not have departed earlier.
The India captain was on just two when he appeared to veer into the way of a throw from mid-on, which hit him, to prevent it from hitting the stumps as he scampered for his ground.
The Sri Lankans questioned the validity of Dhoni’s actions, which could have seen him given out under the new regulations for obstructing the field, but umpires Nigel Llong and Peter Nero ignored their pleas.
