India have struck three decisive blows to stall Sri Lanka's progress at the 25-over mark of their Commonwealth Bank Series clash at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
After slumping from 1-0 to 2-28, Sri Lanka recovered somewhat to reach 3-105 at the half-way stage of their innings, with Dinesh Chandimal not out on 43 and skipper Mahela Jayawardene unbeaten on 12.
Jayawardene no doubt, would have wished for a better launching pad after he won the toss and elected to bat in hot, sunny conditions.
His side's innings got off to a nightmare start when Upul Tharanga was sent packing for a duck off just the second ball of the match.
The struggling opener, who has had a horror tour, limply fished outside off-stump to edge one to Indian keeper MS Dhoni off the bowling of India's leading wicket-taker this series, Vinay Kumar.
Tharanga, who has a fine overall ODI record, has scored just nine runs in three digs for the series, all three times nicking catches behind the wicket.
Experienced ex-captains Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara attempted to salvage a rescue mission but Dilshan's impetuousness got the better of him.
After becoming the seventh Sri Lankan to score 6000 ODI runs upon reaching 16, Dilshan failed to add to that when he bottom-edged a catch to Dhoni, attempting a wild slog off an in-ducker from the recalled Irfan Pathan, who bowled tightly for seven unbroken overs from the Cathedral End.
Sangakkara, playing the patient sheet anchor role, and Chandimal, scoring freely at the other end, added 51 for the third wicket.
Their union ended when Sangakkara - 11 runs shy of becoming the 10th man to reach 10,000 ODI runs - charged a flighted offering from Ravi Ashwin (1-3 off three overs), which the veteran tried to loft over mid-on, only to spoon a massive leading edge down Gautam Gambhir's throat at point.
Sangakkara (31) admonished himself severely after throwing his promising innings away with such an ill-advised shot having battled through the hard yards.
Chandimal - who has looked particularly good - and the seasoned Jayawardene have since batted soundly.
At lease one of this pair will want to be at the crease at or near the 50-over mark to ensure a competitive total.