Sri Lanka have moved to second place on the Commonwealth Bank Series ladder after bowling India out for 238 in the 46th over to secure a 51-run victory at the Gabba on Tuesday night.
Set 290 to win, India fell well short in their chase for the second time in three days, leaving Brisbane without a point and having fallen from first on the ladder to third.
A whirlwind 47-run cameo from Irfan Pathan kept India with a sniff until late in the game, but a 92-run fourth-wicket stand between Suresh Raina (32) and Virat Kohli (66) was the high point, after early wickets made for an uphill battle.
Earlier, 22-year-old Lahiru Thirimanne (62) and Angelo Mathews (49 not out) powered Sri Lanka to their imposing total, capitalising on the platform set by openers Mahela Jayawardene (45) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (51), who were rock solid in a 95-run opening stand.
Nuwan Kulasekara was they key performer in Sri Lanka's bowling innings, taking 3-40 and a pair of smart catches.
Kohli's fortuitous half-ton came in the 30th over from 66 deliveries, with just one boundary and a pair of lives granted at deep backward square-leg by Dinesh Chandimal and his butter fingers.
With the Raina and Kohli fast-approaching a 100-run partnership, the breakthrough came in soft fashion, with Raina pushing back in the 31st over and prodding a Farveez Maharoof delivery straight to Thirimanne at short extra cover.
Soon after, Kohli miscued one shot too many and was out caught at mid-on by Kulasekara, leaving the lower order with more than a hundred to make at over eight runs an over.
Ravindra Jadeja swiped his way to 17, but his dismissal in the 38th signalled the end for India.
Pathan continued to find runs and provide hope, ensuring there would be no bonus point for Sri Lanka, but he lost partners quickly and became the last wicket to fall as he continued to hit out.
Stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag was of little use or inspiration to his men, flashing at the second ball of the innings from Lasith Malinga to find himself caught at third man and his team one down before scoring.
Sachin Tendulkar seemed set to break from a disappointing streak, but after scorching his way to 23 with some vintage stroke play, he brought about his own undoing, chopping on in an attempt to shoulder arms.
For India, recalled spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and left-arm medium-pacer Pathan had two wickets apiece, and were amongst a minority in their attack to boast an economy rate of less than six per over.