Number-eight batsman Deepak Chahar hit an unbeaten 69 as India edged out Sri Lanka by three wickets in the second one-day international in Colombo to clinch the series on Tuesday.

India took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

India chased down their target of 276 with five balls to spare as Chahar recorded his maiden ODI fifty after the tourists slipped to 193/7 in the chase.

Sri Lanka vs India, 2nd ODI as it happened: Chahar’s stunning knock takes visitors to thrilling win

Chahar, who also took two wickets with his pace bowling to limit Sri Lanka to 275/9, was involved in an unbeaten 84-run eighth-wicket stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who made 19.

Chahar, whose highest score before this game was 12, showed remarkable resolve and composure under pressure to take his team over the line with five balls to spare. He fittingly hit the winning boundary.

It was India’s ninth consecutive bilateral series win over Sri Lanka. Chahar was declared player of the match for what he described as the sort of innings anyone dreams of while growing up.

Suryakumar Yadav was impressive too, as he made 53 off 44 balls while Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took three wickets.

The final ODI is on Friday at the same venue.

Earlier, lower-order batsman Chamika Karunaratne hit an unbeaten 44 to steer Sri Lanka to 275.

Karunaratne’s 33-ball knock added to the Sri Lankan total after Avishka Fernando (50) and Charith Asalanka (65) took on the Indian bowling in Colombo.

Dasun Shanaka-led Sri Lanka elected to bat first for the second time in the three-match series after losing the opener by seven wickets on Sunday.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar took three wickets each while quick bowler Deepak Chahar claimed two.

Fernando got Sri Lanka off to a strong start with a 70-run opening stand with wicketkeeper-batsman Minod Bhanuka, who made 36.

Chahal broke through with two successive strikes, sending back Bhanuka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa for nought.

Fernando kept up the fight with his fourth ODI half-century and put on 47 runs with Dhananjaya de Silva for the third wicket. But the opener soon fell to Kumar after his 50 off 71 balls.

Bowlers struck back with middle-order wickets, but the left-handed Asalanka took the attack to the opposition with a maiden ODI fifty in his fourth match.

His 50-run, seventh-wicket partnership with Karunaratne set the tone for Sri Lanka’s strong finish in their bid to keep the series alive.

Karunaratne, who hit a quickfire in the his team’s total of 262 in the opening match, stood firm after Asalanka’s departure in the 48th over to help Sri Lanka get 23 runs from the final 12 balls.

(With AFP inputs)