India's cricket team has moved into position for a victory over Sri Lanka in their third and final test, after taking a lead of 479 runs at stumps on the third day of play in Ahmedabad.
India's top-order slumped in its second innings Tuesday, as Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan and Malinga Bandara each took three wickets, before the hosts rebounded to score 287-for-nine. India had taken a first-innings lead of 192 after scoring 398, while spinner Harbhajan Singh took seven wickets for 62 to help bundle out Sri Lanka for 206.
Sri Lanka now faces the difficult task of chasing a victory target that has never been reached in 128 years of test cricket history. The highest target successfully chased in test cricket was 418 by the West Indies against Australia two years ago. Sri Lanka's best victory chase was the 326 it compiled against Zimbabwe in 1998.
India already leads the three test series 1-0 after a 188-run victory in the second test. The first test was a draw.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.