At R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, August 17 (day/night). Sri Lanka won by two runs. Toss: India.

A world-record fifth-wicket partnership between Azharuddin and Jadeja was not quite enough to bring India victory. Chasing an imposing target of 303, the top four collapsed for 64 in 11 overs. But Azharuddin, who scored 111 not out off 117 balls, and Jadeja, with 119 off 121, put on 223, beating the previous fifth-wicket best of 159, between Australians Ricky Ponting and Michael Bevan against Sri Lanka in 1995–96. India got to 300, just short of victory, before the overs ran out. Sri Lanka had been given a flying start by Atapattu and Jayasuriya, who put on 91 in just 14 overs. Jayasuriya, switching comfortably into one-day mood, smashed 73 off 52 balls, with two sixes and ten fours, while Atapattu completed his maiden century for Sri Lanka. There was controversy in India when TV viewers thought they saw umpire Francis wiping the ball on the Indian flag. After a spate of angry calls to newspaper offices, Francis brought out the offending cloth: a Tennent's Pilsner bar towel – with similar colours – that he had picked up in a Surrey pub.

Man of the Match: A. Jadeja.

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