India maintained their supremacy against Sri Lanka in the three-match T20I series against the host nation. Islanders had to deal with another crushing defeat as Team India first prevented Sri Lanka from chasing a modest 137 and then won in the Super Over. The Surya Kumar Yadav-led side won the series 3-0 in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I.
Sri Lanka Won the Toss, Decided to Field First
Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka won the toss and decided to field first in the third T20I against India in view of the rain that took place and expected to be the case during the course of the match. India made four changes, resting Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel. While Shubhman Gill who missed out the India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I due to back spasm was back, three players came into the team for the first time in the series. These were Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar and Khaleel Ahmed.
Islanders Draw First Blood in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I
In the second over, Maheesh Theekshana after being hit for a streak boundary by Jaiswal got rid of him the next ball as the southpaw was found plumb in front of the stump while attempting a sweep shot. Soon Wickramasinghe had Samson caught by Wanindu Harsaranga at deep point. Theekshana got another wicket as he induced a false stroke from Rinku Singh. The catch was safely held by Pathirana at mid-off. india were 14 for 3 in 3.1 overs. As the powerplay was about to over, Surya Kumar Yadav departed as Asitha Fernando got rid of him. Hasaranga was the man taking the catch.
India were reduced to 30 for 4 at the end of 5.4 overs. Three overs later, Shivam Dube headed to the pavilion as Kusal Mendis took a good catch behind the wicket off the bowling of Ramesh Mendis. India’s score read 48 for 5 at 8.4 overs.
54-run Partnership Between Shubhman and Riyan Steadied India’s Ship
After the early wobbles where India lost five wickets inside nine overs, Shubhman Gill and Riyan Parag stitched a vital 54-run partnership for the sixth wicket. They rotated the strike well on a tricky surface. Shubhman hit three boundaries to record 39 off 37 balls, while Riyan hit two big sixes and a four to accumulate 26 off 18 balls. As the partnership looked threatening for the islanders in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I, Hasaranga removed both of them in the 16th over.
He first got rid of Shubhman as the opener got beaten on the defensive shot and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis wiped the bails off in a flash, leaving the batter stumped. Whereas Riyan Parag pulled a short delivery of Hasranga straight down to Ramesh Mendis at deep mid-wicket. The late flourish from Washington where the Tamil Nadu batter scored 25 off 18 balls meant India had a reasonable 137 for 9 in 20 overs. Maheesh Theekshana was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 28 runs.
SL Start Cautiously in Chase Against India in 3rd T20I
Both Khaleel Ahmed and Mohd. Siraj were incisive with the new ball by beating the outside edge on a couple of occasions. In the first two overs, islanders barely scored four runs in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I. Sri Lanka hit the first boundary in the third over when Pathum Nissanka hit two consecutive boundaries. He took a couple the next ball before hitting four on the last ball of the over, taking Sri Lanka to 19 for no loss in 3 overs.
Siraj bowled a relatively economical next over, giving away just five runs. Nissanka hit another boundary the next over by employing a perfect reverse sweep shot that went to the right of backward point region. Sri Lanka reached 31 for no loss in 5 overs. Adding to India’s misery was the dropped catch by of Kusal Mendis in the 6th over. Sanju Samson could not grab the catch. Islanders were comfortably placed at 35 for no loss in 6 overs in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I.
Kusal, Pathum Consolidate Further in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I
Kusal Mendis hit two fours off the bowling of Ravi Bishnoi in the 7th over. Sri Lanka galloped to 45 for no loss in 7 overs. Sri Lanka brought up 50 as Nissanka slapped a floated delivery straight down the ground for four. India got the prize scalp of Nissanka as the Sri Lanka chipped down the track and played the shot straight to Riyan Parag at deep mid-wicket. The score read 58 for 1 in 8.5 overs. The home team reached 61 for 1 at the end of 10 overs in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I.
How Sri Lanka Approached from 11-15 Overs of Batting in Third T20I
It was then Kusal Perera exploded as 32 off 21 deliveries, hitting four 4s in the company of Kusal Mendis who looked solid at the other end. The duo kept the scoreboard busy by rotating the strike and churning out boundaries. Sri Lanka reached 100 in 14.1 overs as Kusal Mendis played it gently to the short third man for a single. In 15 overs, islanders scored 110 for 1.
India Pick Up the Second Wicket in the 16th Over
Ravi Bishnoi got Kusal Mendis trapped leg before as he got low to pull that skidded off the track to beat the bat in the 16th over. An over later, India got the wicket of Hasaranga as Bishnoi took a superb catch in the deep. The very next ball saw the departure of Charith Asalanka as he gloved a delivery that turned and bounced off the deck to Samson behind the wicket. The score read 117 for 4 in 17 overs.
Rinku Singh came in the 19th over to dislodge Kusal Perera miscued a pull shot as the bowler settled under the lights to take the catch. SL were down to 129 for 5 in 18.2 overs. Rinku got his second wicket on the last ball of the over as Shuhman took a running catch to dismiss Ramesh Mendis at deep mid-wicket.
It came down to 6 off 6 balls for the islanders in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I. Surya came to bowl the first over and got the wicket of Kamindu Mendis on the second ball. The next ball, he dismissed Theekshana as Samson takes a good catch down the leg side. SL were looking down the barrel at 132 for 8. The match went into the Super Over as Sri Lanka scored two runs off the last ball.
The Super Over Drama in India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I
Washington Sundar was chosen to bowl the Super Over as Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera came out to bat for Sri Lanka. He bowled a wide delivery first up before Mendis bent down on one knee to pick up a single on the leg-side. Washington got the wicket next ball as Kusal Perera hits it straight to Bishnoi at deep square leg. Nissanka got out the next ball as he found the fielder at deep mid-wicket. Sri Lanka’s innings ended at 2 for 2. Surya hit the boundary off the first ball to win India the game.
