Images: India vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI Mirpur

India made a shaky start against an inexperienced Sri Lankan bowling, with three top order batsmen back in the pavilion by the ninth over.

Gautam Gambhir (8), who opened the innings along with Virender Sehwag (47) in absence of Sachin Tendulkar, was the first to depart, in the third over, for a mere eight runs.

The left-hander failed to negotiate a Chanaka Welegedara yorker and ball hit his leg stump.

Kolkata ODI hero Virat Kohli (9) too was back in the hut cheaply after edging Welegedara to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Virender Sehwag looked in great touch, smashing the left-armer to all corners of the park. He was unperturbed by the fall of Gambhir's wicket and did not shy away from playing his shots.

He hit three consecutive fours in the sixth over off Suranga Lakmal but was lucky to escape in the next as a Welegedara delivery found edge of his bat for wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara to pouch it, only for the delivery to be called a no-ball.

Sehwag looked like he would take India out of trouble but fell 11 balls later to Welegedara.

With India in a spot of bother, skipper M S Dhoni (37) and Yuvraj Singh (74) steadied the innings by taking singles and rotating the strike -- a luxury which they could afford after Sehwag's quickfire innings.

The experienced duo repaired the innings by sharing a 99-run stand for the fourth wicket off 136 balls.

Dhoni was eventually was snapped by Thissira Perera for 37, which included three boundaries.

Yuvraj, who returned to the playing eleven after missing four ODIs last month due to a finger injury, played a crucial knock after coming in to bat when India were 62 for two.

He was aggressive at the start and reached his fifty -- his 43rd half century in his 246th ODI -- in style by smashing two successive sixes off Thilan Kandamby in the 30th over.

He was out in 38th over, caught on the boundary line by Lakmal off Perera.

Yuvraj's 84-ball 74 was inclusive of six fours and two sixes.

Useful contributions from Ravindra Jadeja (39) and Suresh Raina (35) helped India post a competitive 279 for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs.

Chasing a competitive 280 for a win, Sri Lanka got off to a brisk start. With Tillakaratne Dilshan nursing a groin injury, Lahiru Thirumanne (22) had the opener's role thrust on him in his debut match and the youngster calmed his nerves with three fours off S Sreesanth's first over.

Sreesanth returned to settle score in his next over when Gautam Gambhir pouched Thirumanne's top edge at square leg but not before adding brisk 48 runs with Upul Tharanga (30).

Upul Tharanga (30) also looked in good nick before he tamely drove Harbhajan Singh's fifth delivery back to the bowler for a simple caught-and-bowled dismissal.

Skipper Kumar Sangakkara (60), who came in after Thirumanne's wicket, started rebuilding the innings with Thilan Samaraweera (105 n.o.), who came in after Tharanga's wicket.

The experienced duo added 122 runs in just over 20 overs, which laid a strong foundation for the final flourish.

Just when the duo looked to see the game off, Sangakkara lost his patience and played a lose shot and was caught in covers by Suresh Raina off Harbhajan Singh.

Sangakkara's innings included four hits to the fence.

Thilina Kandamby (8) followed soon, giving Indian's a ray of hope of making it through the back door.

However a cool Samaraweera cracked his second ton and along with Thissira Perera (36) sealed the game for Lankans as they cruised to a five-wicket win.

Perera, who came in at a tricky situation, took the game away from India with lusty hitting.

Coming in Power Play, Perera struck six boundaries and a six to seal the game as Lankans finished the game with 12 balls to spare.