Adelaide, February 19:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni posted the winning runs and his half century with the same shot, leading India to a two-wicket win over Sri Lanka with five balls to spare in tri-series limited-overs international.

Dhoni shared a 59-run fifth-wicket stand with Yuvraj Singh and finished unbeaten on 50. He faced 68 balls in a patient 2-hour, 20-minute innings to guide India to 239-8 chasing Sri Lanka’s 238-6.

Kumar Sangakkara provided the backbone of Sri Lanka’s innings, scoring 128. The win moved India to 12 points, five behind league-leading Australia and six in front of Sri Lanka. Yuvraj held the top order together after a shaky start, belting 76 from 70 balls, including 10 fours and a six, after India lost Sachin Tendulkar (0), Gautam Gambhir (15) and Robin Uthappa (10) to be struggling at 35-3.

Irfan Pathan added 31 with Dhoni and India were coasting to victory until Ishara Amerasinghe took wickets in consecutive overs and Lasith Malinga chimed in to send the game into the final over. Dhoni hit Farveez Maharoof through the covers on the first ball of the final over to secure the win.

Earlier, Sangakkara rescued Sri Lanka’s innings from a precarious start and combined with Mahela Jayawardene in a 153-run stand. Sangakkara went in with the total at 4/1 in the first over when Tillakaratne Dilshan (4) was caught behind off Munaf Patel. He was joined by his skipper in the third over when Sanath Jayasuriya was unluckily run out at the non-striker’s end by Patel to make the total 6-2. The third-wicket partnership ended when Jayawardene was run out for 71 in the 38th over.

Kapugedera was run out six balls later as Sri Lanka slipped to 161-4 before Sangakkara and Chamara Silva combined in a 73-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Sangakkara’s seventh one-day international century lasted 155 balls and finally came to end on the last ball of the penultimate over.