Yuvraj Singh followed up a three-wicket haul with an unbeaten 60 off 25 balls yesterday as India recorded the biggest successful run chase in international Twenty20 history to beat Sri Lanka by six wickets.

Yuvraj claimed 3-23 from three overs as Sri Lanka were restricted to 206-7 at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.

He then scored his fifth Twenty20 half-century to help India reach 211-4 with five balls remaining, surpassing South Africa's 208 against West Indies at the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup and levelling the two-match series against Sri Lanka.

India's Virender Sehwag hit 64 from 36 balls and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni made 46 off 28 deliveries.

For Sri Lanka, captain Kumar Sangakkara made 59, Chinthaka Jayasinghe 38 and Sanath Jayasuriya 31.

Sri Lanka won the first match by 29 runs at Nagpur on Wednesday.

superb start

Sehwag got India off to a superb start as the team chased down Sri Lanka's big total on a decent batting track. He hit six boundaries and two sixes as he shared a 58-run stand with Gautum Gambhir, who was first back to the pavilion for 21 after being run out attempting to pinch a third off a misfield.

With Dhoni joining Sehwag at the crease, India added a further 50 runs before the latter fell to Lasith Malinga as he tried to force the pace.

Yuvraj, celebrating his 28th birthday, came in with his side needing 99 runs from 54 balls and looked in fine nick straightaway.

By the time Dhoni was out, yorked by Dilhara Fernando in the 17th over, India needed 19 from 19 balls and Yuvraj provided the perfect finish by heaving Angelo Mathews for six.

Yuvraj, whose knock contained five sixes and three fours, was named Man of the Match and Kumar Sangakkara was handed the Man-of-the-Series award.