A superb century from VVS Laxman led India to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third and final Test to level the series at one-all.

Heading into the final day in Colombo both teams were in with a sniff off victory. The pendulum was swinging slightly in India's favour but nobody would have predicted the resounding fashion with which coach Gary Kirsten's men stormed to victory.

With India needing 204 runs to win at the start of the day with seven wickets in hand, Sri Lanka needed early scalps and they got one in the form of nightwatchman Ishant Sharma, who was caught at short midwicket off the bowling of Suraj Randiv. But that's where the morning's joy ended for the home side as Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman came together to thoroughly dominate the remainder of the first session.

The experienced campaigners went about their task brilliantly; keeping the flashy shots in the cupboard, instead masterfully picking up the ones and twos that the defensive Sri Lanka field made all too easy to achieve.

For Tendulkar it was a strange innings, resembling more a Rahul Dravid-style knock of dogged defiance than the flowing brilliance one has become so accustomed to. But it was the knock that was required, and with Laxman providing the perfect foil with a more up-tempo innings, India marched towards victory.

All the while it seemed that if Sri Lanka could nick a wicket or two the complexion of the match could change dramatically, but Kumar Sangakkara's bowlers were unable to produce the necessary wicket-taking deliveries; Randiv was the most impressive of the lot and deserved all he got while Mendis was unable to replicate his heroics with the bat in his preferred discipline. Lasith Malinga tried but lack the venom of previous days and while Chanaka Welegedara troubled Sharma early that was as good as it got for him.

By the time Tendulkar was well caught down the leg-side to hand Randiv his first Test five-wicket haul, it was all but over for Sri Lanka. For a fleeting moment there seemed hope as Suresh Raina flashed at only his third delivery and edged it high into the slip cordon. It went through the hands of Mahela Jayawardene and with it went any reasonable hope of victory.

Laxman saw his team through to victory, requiring a runner from shortly after the lunch break as back spasms left him in great discomfort. But despite the pain he went on to record his 16th Test ton off only 146 balls, a superb knock in tough circumstances. It was his first in Sri Lanka.

In a game that has ebbed and flowed through it was India who finished with a bang; Suresh Raina's six down the ground to win the match encapsulating the manner in which they steamrolled their opposition on the final day.

India have for much of the series looked the lesser of the two teams but they ended it on level pegging. The Sri Lankans may feel hard done by but fans of the game certainly won't, having witnessed a superb Test match.

Shot of the Day
The final shot of both the game and the series was a simply beautiful one. Showing all the exuberance of youth, Raina came down the track and lofted Mendis over long-on to secure the victory.

Delivery of the Day
There wasn't much in it for the bowlers on day five, but with more than 50 runs still required to win Mendis gave Laxman a bit of a fright, getting an off-break to spin and bounce on the batsman who tried to defend it, but the ball rolled first off his body and then nearly onto the stumps.

Defining Moment of the Day
With Tendulkar on only 18 and day five in its infancy, Tillakaratne Dilshan dropped a fairly straightforward catch at short-leg that could have changed everything. Tendulkar pushed forward and got an edge onto his pad, the ball looped towards Dilshan, who dived forward but failed to hold onto it. Tendulkar went on to score 54 and shared in a109-run partnership with Laxman and from there Sri Lanka never had a chance.

Julia Harris