Even Sunil Gavaskar was confused how the newly-laid Ferozeshah Kotla track, which he described as a "hair transplant pitch", would behave during the fifth ODI.

In his pitch report, the batting legend had pointed out that it would be a tricky strip to bat on and had said that batsmen had to be watchful in the first half-hour.

"It's a hair transplant pitch with bald patches and some patches of grass. Batsmen have to watch out. I am not sure about it. Looks like a batting first pitch. Difficult to predict what it will do," he had said.

The former Test great said it was not safe for batsmen to continue batting on the unfriendly track, which had uneven bounce.

"There were tufts of grass on the pitch. Playing (there) was dangerous and physical safety of the players is important.

The ball was rising from the good length, which is quite dangerous. Players like Jeff Thomson had the natural ability to bounce the ball but here it was a different case," he said when play was suspended and the officials were deliberating over the next course of action.

On being reminded that Delhi is one of the venues for the 2011 World Cup, he said, "There is still time for World Cup and it (pitch) can be worked out.

Delhi wasn't the first instance

The abandonement of the fifth and final one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka due to unfit playing conditions at the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium here today was second such instance in the history of limited overs cricket.

Incidentally, both India and Sri Lanka were also the two teams involved in the first abandoned ODI due to pitch conditions on December 25, 1997 in Indore.

In that match, Sri Lanka, under Arjuna Ranatunga, had won the toss and batted first before the match was abandoned after three overs. Sri Lanka had made 17 for one till then.

Both Ranatunga and Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin felt that it was dangerous for the players to carry on with the game.

Sanath Jayasuriya, who scored 31 today, is the only player to feature in both the games.

In the fifth and final ODI here, Sri Lanka were batting at 83 for five after 23.3 overs.

Earlier in the year, a Test match between the West Indies and England was called off due pitch and outfield conditions in February at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in St.

Johns's, Antigua. The match was just 10-ball-old on the first day.