Pallekele: Though India started off their chase on a good note with their openers -- Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan --  adding 109 runs for the first wicket, Akila Dananjaya came up with a dream spell by taking six wickets that reduced India to 131 for 7. However, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (44*) once again proved his mettle and in the company of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (53*) helped Men-in-Blue cross the hurdle without further damage and India won the second ODI at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium by seven wickets on Thursday.

Speaking about the thrilling win, Indian skipper Virat Kohli said that it was quite an exciting game of cricket where fans and players were entertained. “Good to come through eventually. Two 100-run partnerships in a chase of 230 with seven wickets, that's quite bizarre. When you're 110 for 1, in a chase of 230, you want to give everyone a chance to bat. We don't have any regrets. If I had gone at No. 3, I would have still missed that ball because he (Akila Dananjaya) was bowling that well. We thought he was the offspinner with a good legbreak, but he got four wickets off googlies. We'll be more careful next time. Credit to him for pitching the ball in the right areas."

Sri Lankan captain Upul Tharanga said: “Disappointed, we came really close. We didn't capitalise again. They had a good start. Once they needed 100 runs, we tried everything. We just couldn't get the breakthrough. Our bowling and fielding has improved."

Akila Dananjaya, who was the Man of the Match said: "The offspin was working, so continuously used the variations. I came back to the hotel at around 11PM last evening.”