Agencies 
  
COLOMBO, Aug 20: The one-day cricket series between India and Sri Lanka has been cancelled after the first two of three scheduled games were rained off, Sri Lanka Cricket said on Sunday.   

"The series is off," Sri Lanka Cricket media manager Samantha Algama said following a meeting between the Indian team management and local officials.   

"There was no point going on with the series because the weather was not improving. The Indians will return home on Monday."   

"The tri-series will now be organised in Sri Lanka some time in 2007," said Algama. "Both the Indian and South African boards have agreed to it."   

The first match of the bilateral India-Sri Lanka contests saw only 16 minutes of play despite being spread over two days on Friday and Saturday.   

The second game on Sunday was abandoned without a ball being bowled as heavy rain continued to lash the Sri Lankan capital throughout the day.   

The third and final match was to be played on Tuesday.

The three-match series was hurriedly organised in lieu of the tri-series, which was cancelled last week. South Africa pulled out due to security fears following a deadly bomb attack near their hotel on August 10.      

"There is unlikely to be any play for some time due to the weather," said Indian coach Greg Chappell.  

"It was quite disappointing to be here and not playing any cricket."             

The Indian team had played just one practice match since their arrival 10 days ago.  A preceding two-Test series between Sri Lanka and South Africa was held in sunny conditions with the hosts winning both matches. Bad weather hit Colombo just as the Indians landed on August 10.