Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews' century was in vain as India wrapped up a 117-run victory in Colombo to seal their first Test series victory on foreign soil in four years.
Mathews contributed a defiant 110 and helped to put on 135 for the sixth wicket with debutant Kusal Perera, who made his second half-century of the match, as the hosts, chasing 386, sensed an unlikely victory on the final day of the third Test.
But wicketkeeper-batsman Perera fell for 70 and India's first Test series victory under Virat Kohli looked nailed on once Mathews was trapped in front by Ishant Sharma, with Sri Lanka collapsing from 242 for five to 268 all out.
India began the day needing just another seven wickets to seal their first away series victory in the longest format since beating West Indies in the Caribbean in 2011.
And they made an ideal start as Umesh Yadav made the breakthrough in the fourth over after Kaushal Silva top-edged a pull which was pouched by Cheteshwar Pujara at short midwicket.
Lahiru Thirimanne added 12 but departed after a leading edge ballooned up and was taken at the second attempt by KL Rahul to give Ravichandran Ashwin his first wicket of the innings.
Mathews looked in control at the other end and brought up his fifty with a sweep for a couple of runs as he and Perera set about getting Sri Lanka some respectability.
The pair accumulated in convincing fashion, with Perera moving to his half-century by pulling Stuart Binny for his eighth four - although Mathews was perhaps a touch lucky to survive a close lbw shout on 93.
He went to three figures soon after with a lovely cut shot, his 12th four, but then lost Perera, whose reverse sweep off Ashwin went straight into the hands of Rohit Sharma at point.
Mathews was then removed in the first over after the resumption, bringing to an end a fantastic 240-ball innings, while Ashwin then accounted for Rangana Herath and Dhammika Prasad in the same over to finish with four for 69.
Amit Mishra then ended the match in the next over as Nuwan Pradeep was given out lbw, handing India their first series win in Sri Lanka in 22 years.
Source: PA
