Images: India v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Delhi

Zaheer Khan provided India a dream start, cleaning up the in-form Upul Tharanga with the first delivery of the fifth and final ODI against Sri Lanka, at the Kotla, on Sunday.

The left-armer produced a gem of a delivery that nipped back and hit top of middle stump.

The Indian bowlers kept a tight line and length thereafter and did not allow the Sri Lanka batsmen to cut lose.

The match was forced to be abandoned after 23.3 overs as the pitch was deemed too dangerous to play on.

Sri Lanka had toiled on the tricky surface to post 83 for 5, after being put in to bat in foggy conditions, before play was abandoned.

Put in to bat first on a tricky pitch, Sri Lanka not only had to deal with the swing of Zaheer and Ashish Nehra, but also the uneven bounce.

Play was held up for seven minutes after Dilshan was struck on the elbow by Nehra's second delivery in the tenth over.

He was not the only one to take a blow. Sanath Jayasuriya was also struck on the shoulder by Zaheer first and then Sudeep Tyagi.

Dlishan was soon sent back to the pavilion, when he was caught by MS Dhoni off Zaheer Khan. Dilshan could only manage 20 runs off 39 balls.

Sudeep Tyagi, who made his ODI debut, claimed the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara. Sri Lanka's skipper went for a flashy drive outside off-stump, only to be caught by Suresh Raina in the covers.

Tyagi bolwed a good line and length and generated much pace. He finished with figures of 6.3-1-15-1 before the game was called off.

Sangakkar could score just one run.

Just when it looked like Sanath Jayasuriya would rally Sri Lanka and see them to a respectable total, Harbhajan Singh struck in his first over. It just took four balls for the off-spinner to send the dasher back to the pavilion.

Harbhajan trapped the 'Matara Marauder' plumb in front of the wicket.

Jayasuriya, who has been India nemesis in the past, was out for 31, which included five hits to the fence.

With the pitch offering uneven bounce and playing tricks, Sangakkara decided he had enough and called his batsmen back to the pavilion.

After much discussion between match officials, the captains, Delhi District Cricket Association officials and curator Daljit Singh, the pitch was deemed unfit to continue play.