Indian captain Mahendra Dhoni cuts during the second one-day international against Sri Lanka in Dambulla yesterday. - AP

DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka (AP):

INDIA WON the second one-day international by three wickets yesterday to level the five-match series 1-1 after dismissing Sri Lanka for their lowest home score against the visitors.

India won the toss and bowled Sri Lanka out for only 142 in 38.3 overs. After collapsing to 75-5, India recovered with a 60-run sixth-wicket stand between captain Mahendra Dhoni (39) and newcomer Subramaniam Badrinath (27 not out).

"A win is always good, it's a good habit to have," Dhoni said.

Sri Lanka's previous lowest one-day score against India at home was 181. They were 44-6 at one stage before a resolute 74-run partnership between lower-order batsmen Thilan Thushara (44) and Nuwan Kulasekara (25).

First one-dayer

Sri Lanka won the first one-dayer by eight wickets after dismissing India for 146 runs - their worst one-day international total by 17 runs in Sri Lanka.

India's seam bowlers responded well to Dhoni's call to field first after winning the toss yesterday, ripping apart the Sri Lankan top order.

Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan was the main performer among the Indian bowlers with 4-21, including the prize wickets of Kumar Sangakkara (two), Mahela Jayawardene (two), Chamara Kapugedera (0) and Sanath Jayasuriya (13).

Khan was named man of the match.

"He has been consistent with the ball throughout," Dhoni said. "Whenever you give him the ball you know that more than 100 per cent is coming out of him."

Praveen Kumar provided valuable support with 3-34.

India started their reply shakily, losing two wickets to seamer Kulasekara in the first five overs. Asked to open the innings, Irfan Pathan was caught by wicketkeeper Sangakkara for five runs with the total on eight.

Double blow

Nunber three Suresh Raina (1) departed at 16, trapped lbw to Kulasekara.

The dismissal brought opener Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh together and they added 36 runs for the third wicket before spinner Ajantha Mendis struck, trapping Yuvraj lbw for 20 runs.

Sri Lanka appeared to get back into the match with a double blow in the 20th over from left-arm seamer Thushara. He first had Kohli caught by Kapugedera at short mid-wicket and two balls later trapped Rohit Sharma (0) lbw to leave India five down for 75.

However, Dhoni and Badrinath combined for a responsible 60-run partnership for the sixth wicket in 96 balls. Dhoni was bowled by paceman Dilhara Fernando but had effectively ensured victory for his team.

"When we went out to bat we thought 175 would have been a very good score on this wicket," Sri Lanka captain Jayawardene said. "On a wicket like this you have to work hard for your runs. Unfortunately we didn't do that here."

Misreading the pitch

Dhoni, who admitted misreading the pitch in the first match, sent the hosts to bat first on a wicket that offered movement to the seam bowlers.

The Sri Lankans had very little to celebrate with only two of their specialist batsmen reaching double figures.

India dropped opener Gautam Gambhir and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha to make way for Badrinath and seamer Praveen Kumar after they lost the first match by eight wickets.

Sri Lanka omitted strike bowler Chaminda Vaas because of a hamstring injury, replacing him with Fernando.

The next match is in Colombo on Sunday.