Jaipur, October 31:

Mahendra Dhoni’s smashing century lifted India to a six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka in a limited-overs international on Monday, surmounting a challenging target to take a 3-0 lead in the seven-match series.

Dhoni’s unbeaten 183, his second century in 22 one-dayers and the highest score by a wicketkeeper-batsman in one-dayers, spurred India to 303 for four in 46.1 overs after Sri Lanka posted 298 for four in 50.

Setting a new Indian landmark of 10 sixes in a limited-overs internationals, Dhoni, 24, equalled the second-highest score by an Indian batsmen. Australian Adam Gilchrist’s 172 — against Zimbabwe in 2004 — was the previous highest score by a wicketkeeper-batsman.

Dhoni fell three runs short of Sachin Tendulkar’s Indian top score 186 not out against New Zealand at Hyderabad in 1999, but matched former skipper Sourav Ganguly’s score of 183 — which too was against Sri Lanka during the 1999 World Cup.

Dhoni fell just one short of the world record number of sixes — 11 each by Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi — but again surpassed the Indian mark of seven that earlier stood jointly in the names of Tendulkar and Ganguly.

Opener Kumar Sangakkara’s career-best 138 not out had raised Sri Lanka’s hopes of reducing India’s lead in the series, but Dhoni’s blitz dashed the touring side’s hopes despite the first-over dismissal of ace batsman Tendulkar.

Repeatedly lifting the ball straight to the sight-screen, Dhoni went past his previous top score of 148 not out — made against Pakistan six months ago — as he punished leg-spinner Upul Chandana for four sixes.

Pace bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Farveez Mehroof, and off-break bowler Tillekeratne Dilshan were each hoisted over the fence two times by Dhoni, whose 145-ball knock also contained 16 fours.

Tendulkar (2) chased a wide delivery from paceman Chaminda Vaas and was snapped by diving wicketkeeper Sangakkara, but Dhoni dominated the Sri Lanka attack to put on 92 runs for the second wicket with Virender Sehwag (39), 86 for the third with skipper Rahul Dravid (28) and 65 for the fourth with Yuvraj Singh (18). Sehwag and Dravid were both snared by off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (2 for 46), while Singh fell to Dilshan before Venugopala Rao (19 not out) helped Dhoni take India past the victory target.

India had outplayed the visitors by 152 runs and eight wickets in the previous two games.

Before the start of the match, both teams observed two minutes of silence for the victims of Saturday’s terrorist bombings in New Delhi. The Indian team also wore black armbands during the game. Sri Lankan bowlers failed to capitalise on the sound foundation laid by their opener Sangakkara, who shared a brisk 151-run partnership from 141 deliveries for the third wicket with Mahela Jayawardene, who shrugged off his poor form with a composed 71.

Playing in his 134th one-dayer, the 28-year-old Sangakkara blazed two sixes and 13 boundaries from 147 ballw to post his fourth century and surpass his previous best of 103 not out after losing opener Sanath Jayasuriya (15) and skipper Marvan Atapattu (17) cheaply.

SCOREBOARD:

SRI LANKA

K Sangakkara not out 138

S Jayasuriya b Agarkar 15

M Atapattu c Dhoni b Yadav 17

M Jayawardene c Sehwag b Agarkar 71

T Dilshan lbw b Sehwag 3

F Maharoof not out 33

Extras: 21 (lb5, nb4, w 12)

Total: 298/4 (50 overs)

FoW: 1-31, 2-77, 3-228, 4-240

India bowling: Pathan 10-0-67-0, Agarkar 10-1-62-2, Yadav 9-0-53-1, Harbhajan 10-0-30-0, Kartik 6-0-42-0, Sehwag 4-0-29-1, Tendulkar 1-0-10-0

INDIA

V Sehwag lbw b Muralitharan 39

S Tendulkar c Sangakkara b Vaas 2

M Dhoni not out 183

R Dravid c & b Muralitharan 28

Y Singh b Dilshan 18

V Rao not out 19

Extras: 14 (b6, lb2, nb5, w1)

Total: 303/4 (46.1 overs)

FoW: 1-7, 2-99, 3-185, 4-250

Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 6-0-43-1, Fernando 8-0-38-0, Maharoof 7-0-50-0, Muralitharan 10-1-46-2, Chandana 10-0-83-0, Dilshan 5.1-0-35-1.