Rajkot. India beat Sri Lanka by 91 runs in the third and final T20 match at Rajkot to clinch the series 2-1. India had set a big target of 229 in front of Sri Lanka at the loss of five wickets. Chasing which the Sri Lankan team was reduced to 137 runs in 16.4 overs. Captain Hardik Pandya, Umran Malik and Yajuvendra Chahal took 2-2 wickets. While Akshar Patel took one wicket.
Suryakumar presented another spectacular display of blistering batting while thrashing the Sri Lankan bowlers fiercely. He scored his third century in T20 cricket by playing shots all around the ground. After completing his half-century in 26 balls, Suryakumar took 19 more balls to reach the triple digit. He hit Chamika Karunaratne for a four and a six in the last over.
Arshdeep Singh picks up the final wicket of the innings as #TeamIndia win by 91 runs and clinch the series 2-1.
This is also India’s 25th bilateral series win against Sri Lanka in India.#INDvSL @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/AT7UyqA6hf
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2023
Chasing a big target, Pathum Nissanka (15) survived Hardik Pandya’s first ball appeal for lbw. Both the openers scored quick runs and shared a 44-run partnership. Nissanka hit Arshdeep Singh for two fours in the second over and Kusal Mendis hit Pandya for two sixes in the next over. Pandya handed the ball to spinner Axar Patel who dismissed Mendis (23). After this Arshdeep sent Nissanka to the pavilion while Pandya took the wicket of Avishka Fernando (one). Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Charit Aslanka (19) who was brilliantly caught by Shivam Mavi. Umran Malik took two wickets but bowled one no ball and 11 wides in his spell.
Earlier, Shubman Gill (46), who could not reach double digits in the last two matches, went for nine balls but then hit Dilshan Madushanka for a six and a four in the third over. Rahul Tripathi scored 35 runs in 16 balls. Earlier, Ishaan Kishan returned to the pavilion after scoring one run in the very first over.
As soon as the spin bowlers came, Tripathi targeted Mahesh Teekshana and hit three fours in the fifth over. He hit the first four over square leg, the second at point and the third at mid-off. Tripathi hit Karunaratne for two sixes. India added 53 runs losing two wickets in the powerplay. Gill scored slowly but Suryakumar played an aggressive innings. The world’s number one batsman in T20 completed his half-century with a four.
From the other end, Gill hit Wanindu Hasaranga for a six but lost his wicket in an attempt to hit another four. With this, the 111-run partnership also broke. Captain Hardik Pandya (four) and Deepak Hooda (four) were dismissed cheaply. Suryakumar’s aggressive batting continued from the other end, who hit nine sixes and seven fours in his innings. In the end, Akshar Patel scored an unbeaten 21 in just nine balls with the help of four fours. (with agency inputs)