Kolkata, February 8:

Unseasonal rain turned into a torrential downpour, forcing the first one-day international between India and Sri Lanka to be called off here on Thursday.

Sri Lanka were 102-3 after 18.2 overs after being sent in to bat when umpires Simon Taufel and Suresh Shastri ordered players off the field. The umpires finally called off the match when no time was left to play 20-overs-a-side, the minimum requirement to gain a result.

Sanath Jayasuriya was unbeaten on 63 off 61 balls and former captain Marvan Atapattu was on five when play was stopped. Jayasuriya and opening partner Upul Tharanga (14) hammered 23 off the first three overs before fast bowler Munaf Patel hit back with two wickets in the space of five deliveries.

Patel bowled Tharanga off the inside edge then had Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene (0) caught at mid-on before Kumar Sangakkara (14) helped Jayasuriya put on 52 for the third wicket. Sangakkara was caught behind off seamer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.

The four-match series is the last for both teams before the World Cup opens in the Caribbean on March 13. The second game will be played in Rajkot on Sunday, followed by the third in Goa on February 14 and the fourth in Visakhapatnam on February 17.