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Pandya ton lifts India to 487-9 in 3rd Test

Pallekele : All-rounder Hardik Pandya smashed his maiden Test century to power India to 487 for nine at lunch on day two of the third and final match against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

India, who resumed the day on 329-6, lost an early wicket but overnight batsman Pandya kept up the lower-order fight with his 93-ball blitz in an extended morning session in Pallekele.

Pandya, batting on 108 in just his third Test, and Umesh Yadav on three were at the crease at lunch with an unbeaten 66-run stand for the final wicket.

Sri Lankan spinners Lakshan Sandakan, who took two wickets in the first session, and Malinda Pushpakumara have shared seven wickets between them so far.

But the session belonged to Pandya, who built crucial partnerships including a 62-run eight-wicket stand with Kuldeep Yadav.

Sandakan's left-arm wrist spin broke the stand by dismissing the left-handed Kuldeep caught behind for 26.

But Pandya, 23, pressed on with the assault even after the fall of the ninth wicket as he took on Pushpakumara, smashing two fours and and three sixes in an over off the left-arm spinner.

Pace spearhead Vishwa Fernando struck early with the wicket of wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha, who added just three runs to his overnight score before being caught in the gully for 16.

A 188-run opening stand between Shikhar Dhawan, who smashed 119, and Lokesh Rahul, who made 85, had paved the way for India's commanding total after the visitors chose to bat first.

India are eyeing a a series sweep after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in Colombo.