ADELAIDE, Feb 14: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni fell just short of pulling off another thrilling run chase as his team fought out a dramatic tie with Sri Lanka in the fifth triangular series One-day International at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni needed to hit four runs off the last ball by Lasith Malinga but he only managed to scamper through for three runs to level the scores.

Both teams finished with 236 for nine from their 50 overs in a dramatic finale after India had needed nine runs to win off the final over.

Dhoni, who steered India to a final-over victory against Australia at the same ground last Sunday, failed to replicate that success as the Sri Lankans searched desperately for their first win of the tri-series.

The tie was tinged by controversy with India facing one less delivery than they should have with the 30th over of their innings containing just five balls.

The tie lifted India to the top of the tournament standings ahead of Australia, with Sri Lanka yet to win from their three games.

Dhoni finished unbeaten on 58 off 69 balls with one booming six and three fours, while opening batsman Gautam Gambhir was out in the 90s for a second consecutive innings after he was run out for 91 off 106 balls.

India looked poised to nudge past the plucky Sri Lankans in the final over but Ranganath Vinay Kumar was run out on the second-last ball by a direct throw as he tried to get Dhoni on strike.

Dhoni then faced a final ball tilt for a winning boundary only for Sachithra Senanayake to cut off the shot and enable India to take three runs and level the scores.

It was the first-ever tie between India and Sri Lanka in one-dayers and the 26th tied ODI match.

Once again star India batsman Sachin Tendulkar failed to score his 100th international century and was dismissed for 15.

Earlier, Dinesh Chandimal top-scored with 81 as Sri Lanka reached 236 for nine off 50 overs.Chandimal, 22, hit six fours and a six off 91 balls before he was run out and Sri Lanka, who won the toss, set India just over 4.7 runs an over to win.

Vinay Kumar finished the best of India’s bowlers with three for 46 off 10 overs, while Ashwin claimed two wickets.—AFP

Scoreboard SRI LANKA: W.U. Tharanga c Dhoni b Vinay    0 T.M. Dilshan c Dhoni b Pathan    16 K. Sangakkara c Gambhir b Ashwin    31 L.D. Chandimal run out    81 M. Jayawardene lbw b Vinay    43 A.D. Mathews run out    17 T. Perera c Kohli b Ashwin    5 N. Kulasekara c Gambhir b Vinay    12 S.M.S.M. Senanayake not out    22 S.L. Malinga run out    0 H.M.R.K.B. Herath not out    1

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-5)    8 TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs)    236 FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-28, 3-79, 4-173, 5-178, 6-184, 7-210, 8-232, 9-235. BOWLING: R. Vinay Kumar 10-1-46-3 (1w); Pathan 9-0-38-1 (2w); Yadav 9-0-51-0; Ashwin 10-1-30-2; Jadeja 10-0-58-0; Sharma 2-0-10-0 (2w).

INDIA: G. Gambhir run out    91 S. Tendulkar c Sangakkara b Kulasekara    15 V. Kohli lbw b Perera    15 R.G. Sharma run out    15 S.K. Raina c Sangakkara b Malinga    8 M.S. Dhoni not out    58 R.A. Jadeja c Jayawardene b Perera    3 R. Ashwin c Senanayake b Malinga    14 I.K. Pathan run out    8 R. Vinay Kumar run out    1 U. Yadav not out    0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-6, NB-1)    8 TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs)    236 FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-61, 3-94, 4-118, 5-178, 6-184, 7-212, 8-223, 9-233. BOWLING: Malinga 10-1-53-2 (2w); Kulasekara 10-0-39-1 (1w); Mathews 5-0-35-0 (1nb, 1w); Perera 9-0-45-2 (1w); Herath 10-1-33-0 (1w); Senanayake 6-0-30-0.

RESULT: Match tied. UMPIRES: S.D. Fry (Australia) and N.J. Llong (England) TV UMPIRE: B.N.J. Oxenford (Australia). MATCH REFEREE: A.J. Pycroft (Zimbabwe). MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mahendra Singh Dhoni. NEXT MATCH: Australia v Sri Lanka, Sydney (D/N), Friday.