By IANS,
Mumbai : Openers Tharanga Pranavitana and Tillakaratne Dilshan scored half-centuries to give Sri Lanka a good start in the third and the final cricket Test against India at the Brabourne Stadium here Wedensday.
At lunch, Sri Lanka were comfortably placed at 117 for one in the first innings after Pranavitana hit 53 and Dilshan scored an unbeaten 51. Skipper Kumar Sangakkara was not out on 10.
Sri Lankan openers scored at more than four runs per over as Indian fast bowlers bowled a flat line and failed to get any help from the pitch, which was supposed to be on the quicker side.
Pranavitana started the proceedings by driving fast bowler Zaheer Khan for a four in the first ball of the innings. He played well for his brief stay and cashed in on the loose deliveries and hit seven fours during his 81-ball stay.
At the other end, Dilshan was in an aggressive mode and was severe on S. Sreesanth, the Man of the Match in the last Test in Kanpur.
Sreesanth tried to rattle Dilshan with a bouncer, but the Sri Lankan hooked it for a six. Dilshan again pulled the next delivery for a four and hit the last ball through mid-wicket for another four, forcing captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to take out Sreesanth from the attack and introduce spin.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh gave India the first breakthrough by picking up Pranavitana and ending the 93-run opening stand.
Dilshan and Sangakkara then played cautiously to see through the first session of the game safely.
India lead the series 1-0 and a win here will propel them to the top spot in Test rankings.