NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Unfit pitch conditions at the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium forced the fifth and final One-Day International between India and Sri Lanka to be abandoned yesterday.

Sri Lanka, sent in to bat, were 83-5 in the 24th over when the umpires stopped play after a ball from debutante seamer Sudeep Tyagi bounced alarmingly before going head-high to wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Match referee Alan Hurst of Australia called off the game after lengthy discussions with the umpires and local officials, leaving some 40,000 home fans at the stadium angry.

The crowd hurled water bottles and chairs on to the field after the TV station broadcasting the game reported that the match had been abandoned.

Official statements from Hurst and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were expected later in the day.

India won the series by a 3-1 margin gained in the previous match, building on the 2-0 success in the preceding Test series which lifted Dhoni’s men to the top of the official Test rankings.

Hurst walked to the middle to speak to the umpires after Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara gestured from the sidelines to stop play after what turned out to be the final delivery.

Two Sri Lankan batsmen, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya, were hit by balls that rose after pitching, while some other deliveries kept low.

Former India captain Bishan Bedi, who lives in New Delhi, said he was ashamed at the turn of events and wanted the local Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) to be penalised.

The International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct says a ground that produces an unfit pitch could lose its Test and one-day status for a period of 12 to 24 months.

The Ferozeshah Kotla stadium has been awarded four matches in the 2011 World Cup, which India will co-host with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The tournament will run from February to April that year.

Yesterday, Sri Lanka lost half the side for 63 runs by the 18th over, losing wickets at regular intervals after Upul Tharanga was bowled by Zaheer Khan off the first ball of the match.

Zaheer also had danger man Dilshan caught behind for 20 during an opening spell of eight overs in which he conceded 31 runs for two wickets.

Jayasuriya, who completed 20 years in international cricket on Saturday, made 31 before he was trapped leg-before by Harbhajan Singh.

Tyagi picked up his first wicket when Sangakkara drove uppishly to the cover region where Suresh Raina picked up a waist-high catch.

Sri Lanka’s misery continued as Thilan Samaraweera was run out for two by a direct throw from Virat Kohli.

Thilina Kandamby was unbeaten on 12 and Muthumudalige Pushpakumara was on seven when play was stopped.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka Innings:

Upul Tharanga b Khan 0

Tillakaratne Dilshan c Dhoni b Khan 20

Sanath Jayasuriya lbw b Harbhajan Singh 31

Kumar Sangakkara c Raina b Tyagi 1

Thilan Samaraweera run out 2

Thilina Kandamby not out 12

Muthumudalige Pushpakumara not out 7

Extras: (1lb, 1nb, 8w) 10

TOTAL: (for 5 wickets) 83.

Overs: 23.3.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-39, 3-58, 4-60, 5-63.

Did not bat: Thissara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Suranga Lakmal, Chanaka Welegedara.

Bowling: Zaheer Khan 8-1-31-2 (1nb, 3w), Ashish Nehra 5-0-24-0 (2w), Sudeep Tyagi 6.3-1-15-1 (3w), Harbhajan Singh 4-0-12-1.

Result: Match abandoned due to dangerous pitch.

Series: India won 3-1.

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Shavir Tarapore (India)

TV Umpire: Sanjay Hazare (India)

Match Referee: Alan Hurst (Australia)