PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Irfan Pathan grabbed five wickets as India posted a 20-run victory over Sri Lanka in the fifth and final one day International in Pallekele yesterday to win the series 4-1.

The paceman finished with 5-61, his second five-wicket haul in One-Dayers, as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 274 after scoring a challenging 294-7 in the day-night match.

Sri Lanka were struggling at 102-5 before Lahiru Thirimanne (77) and Jeevan Mendis (72) gave India some anxious moments with a 102-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Thirimanne hit three sixes and five fours in his career-best knock before he was run out, and then Pathan removed Thisara Perera (18) and well-set Mendis in the same over.

Mendis cracked six fours in his maiden half-century in one-day internationals.

India earlier put in an impressive batting performance, with opener Gautam Gambhir (88), middle-order batsman Manoj Tiwary (65) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (58) all making half-centuries.

India were under pressure at 87-3 but Gambhir and Tiwary propped up the innings with a 110-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Sri Lanka then got three quick wickets to reduce India to 213-6 before wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni and Pathan (29 not out) added 77 for the seventh wicket to help their team set a stiff target.

Fast bowlers Lasith Malinga (3-64) and Nuwan Pradeep (2-63) were the main wicket-takers for Sri Lanka.

Malinga dismissed Tiwary and Suresh Raina off successive deliveries before taking his 200th wicket in One-Day Internationals when he had Dhoni caught behind. The Indian skipper smashed one six and eight fours.

Gambhir, who also completed 5,000 One-Day runs during his 99-ball knock, was caught by Malinga at point off spinner Sachithra Senanayake after hitting seven fours.

Scoreboard

India

G Gambhir c Malinga b Senanayake 88

A Rahane lbw b Perera 9

V Kohli lbw b Pradeep 23

R Sharma b Pradeep 4

M Tiwary c Perera b Malinga 65

S Raina c Thirimanne b Malinga 0

MS Dhoni c Chandimal b Malinga 58

Irfan Pathan not out 29

R Ashwin not out 2

Extras (lb10, w6) 16

Total (for seven wickets; 50 overs) 294

Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Rahane), 2-77 (Kohli), 3-87 (Sharma), 4-197 (Tiwary), 5-197 (Raina), 6-213 (Gambhir), 7-290 (Dhoni)

Bowling: Malinga 10-0-64-3 (w1), Perera 10-0-53-1 (w4), Mathews 5-0-29-0, Pradeep 10-0-63-2, Senanayake 10-0-50-1 (w1), Mendis 5-0-25-0

Sri Lanka:

U Tharanga c Rahane b Pathan 31

T Dilshan c Zaheer b Pathan 0

L Thirimanne run out 77

D Chandimal lbw b Dinda 8

A Mathews run out 13

C Kapugedara lbw b Zaheer 9

J Mendis c Dhoni b Pathan 72

T Perera c Kohli b Pathan 18

S Senanayake b Pathan 7

L Malinga c Raina b Dinda 10

N Pradeep not out 0

Extras (b2, lb14, w13) 29

Total (for all out; 454 overs) 274

Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Dilshan), 2-61 (Tharanga), 3-74 (Chandimal), 4-89 (Mathews), 5-102 (Kapugedara), 6-204 (Thirimanne), 7-252 (Perera), 8-256 (Mendis), 9-266 (Senanayake), 10-274 (Malinga)

Bowling: Zaheer 9-1-53-1 (w8), Pathan 10-0-61-5 (w5), Dinda 74-0-55-2, Kohli 1-0-3-0, Ashwin 9-0-37-0, Sharma 6-0-23-0, Raina 2-0-12-0, Tiwary 1-0-14-0

Result: India win by 20 runs

Series result: India clinch five-match series 4-1

Toss: India

Umpires: Tyron Wijewardene (SRI) and Bruce Oxenford (AUS)

TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)