Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis fifties push Sri Lanka up to 248

Avishka Fernando struck 96, Pathum Nissanka 45 and Kusal Mendis 59, as Sri Lanka put up 248 for 7 in the final ODI against India in Colombo, a fighting total but one that could have been so much more had the middle order not failed to turn up for a third game running.

Like so many Sri Lankan contests in recent times, here it was another mini-collapse which turned their position of strength into one of adversity. Having won the toss and opted to bat, Sri Lanka sought to make the best of the conditions. Their first two partnerships contributed 89 and 82 respectively, but like in the first two games, their middle order succumbed swiftly and suddenly. From 171 for 1 they spluttered to 199 for 6; five wickets lost for 28 runs.

From midway through the 36th over when they lost Avishka, up until midway through the 48th - 72 deliveries to be precise - only two boundaries were scored. Sri Lanka managed to scrounge together just 49 runs in the period. And from targeting a score in the region of 280, they were now struggling to reach 250 - arguably a bare minimum on a surface, that while dry had not proved as troubling to bat on as the those from the first two games.

Only Mendis' late strikes, including a pair of premeditated scoops against Riyan Parag propelled Sri Lanka towards 240. Parag, making his ODI debut, would be in the thick of it throughout, as he finished with innings best figures of 3 for 54.

He grabbed the key wicket of Avishka, his first in ODIs, with a leg break that slid on into the front pad, before getting another to grip and straighten to trap Charith Asalanka on the crease. Parag's best delivery though was reserved for danger man Dunith Wellalage, who was done by one that dipped and turned, pitching middle and spinning past the outside edge to knock back off stump.

Mendis strikes' pushed Parag's economy rate to six an over but the rest of India's spinners - Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar - proved miserly as ever, picking up a wicket apiece and none going for more than Axar's 4.10 per over. Even Shivam Dube, who bowled four overs with the new ball, went for just 2.25 an over.

Sri Lanka scored most of their runs through Mohammed Siraj, who was unusually wayward with his lines early on. This allowed both Avishka and Nissanka to settle in with minimal risk. That would prove to be a common thread running through both of Sri Lanka's biggest stands, as the batters were happy to rotate strike and wait for loose deliveries to attack. Keeping the score ticking actually looked so easy that it seemed like the pitch for this series decider wasn't as difficult as initially expected, but once the set batters were removed, the true nature of the surface revealed itself. Though Sri Lanka might still wonder if they have enough on the board.