Photos: India sneak past Lanka in 3rd ODI

Gautam Gambhir's superb century and brilliant counter-attacking cricket from Suresh Raina helped India beat Sri Lanka by five wickets and go 2-1 up in the five-match One-day International series in Colombo on Saturday.

- Scorecard

Chasing 287 to win, India overhauled the target with two balls to spare.

Gambhir's 11th ODI century may have been in vain had Raina not come up with a stubborn knock in the company of Irfan Pathan.

Sri Lanka were off to a poor start after electing to bat at the R Premadasa.

Zaheer Khan struck the first blow as he castled Tillakaratne Dilshan in the second over itself.

Irfan Pathan, at the other end, caught Dinesh Chandimal right in front of the stumps to reduce Sri Lanka to 20-3 inside the sixth over.

Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara then started the salvage operation, starting off slowly before opening their shoulders in the batting powerplay.

Jayawardene soon posted his 68th ODI fifty with a couple off R Ashwin, while Sangakkara got to his 73rd ODI half-century and 16th against India with a single down the ground.

While Jayawardene hit five fours in his 79-ball innings, while Sangakkara faced 95 balls, finding the fence six times.

Jayawardene, who looked good against the spinners, was undone by a quicker delivery from Rahul Sharma.

He went on the back foot, attempting to work the ball away, but it hurried on and hit him in front of leg stump.

Ashok Dinda then took out Sangakkara in the 38th over when the Sri Lankan failed to connect a fuller ball just outside the off-stump and gifted a simple catch to Virat Kohli at point.

Angelo Mathews then used the long handle to good effect to ensure that Sri Lanka crossed the 250-run mark.

Mathews and Jeevan Mendis stepped on the accelerator at the right moment and added 50 runs in the last five overs.

Matthews's 57-ball 71 was studded with fours and a six, and Mendis's 40-ball 45 was laced with three fours and a six, off Dinda over the mid-wicket boundary.

Thisara Perera again made sure that Virender Sehwag was back in the pavilion without much on the board.

Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli then put their heads down to stitch a vital partnership to keep India in the hunt.

Kohli was the second Indian wicket to fall as he gave a simple catch to Rangna Hearath for 38.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni promoted himself up the order and scored a useful 31, adding 67 runs with Gambhir for the third wicket.

India were placed comfortably at that stage, but the batting powerplay did not go their way as they lost Dhoni and Rohit Sharma in the first two balls of the 36th over.

Both were undone by a Malinga Yorker. While Dhoni was castled, Rohit was in front of the stumps off the first ball.

Raina and Irfan Pathan then joined hands and put on an unbeaten 92 runs stand for the sixth wicket that helped India clinch victory.