K L Rahul (54 runs from 36 balls, 5x4, 6x1) and Dhawan (52 runs from 36 balls, 7x4, 6x1) added 97 runs for the first wicket but Virat Kohli (26 off 17 balls), Manish Pandey (despite the middle order falter) With the useful contribution of 18 not out from 18 balls) and Shardul Thakur (22 not out from eight balls), India managed to score 201 runs for six wickets. In response, Sri Lanka lost four top-order wickets in the powerplay itself. Dhananjay D'Silva (57 off 36 balls) and Angelo Mathews (31 runs off 20 balls) added 68 runs for the fifth wicket to give Sri Lanka hope in the middle but their partnership collapsed as they were all out for 123 in 15.5 overs. Sri Lanka lost the last six wickets within 29 runs. This is India's 13th win in T20 against Sri Lanka. Navdeep Saini was the most successful bowler for India. He took three wickets for 28 runs while Shardul took two for 19 and Washington Sundar took two wickets for 37 runs. India had earlier won the second match in Indore by seven wickets while the first match in Guwahati was canceled due to rain. The bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah (one for five runs) also gave India a great start and soon Sri Lanka's score was reduced to 26 for four wickets. Bumrah sent Dhanushka Gunatilaka (one) to the pavilion in the first over while Shardul, who started bowling with him, dismissed Avishka Fernando (nine). Ocado Fernando (two) was run out while Saini, who came in as a change, scattered the kills of Kusal Perera (seven). After this, DeSilva and Matthews took over. Nearly 16 months later, Mathews, who played his first T20, targeted Washington Sundar and hit three sixes but it was the same bowler that Pandey ran on long on and took his brilliant catch which ended Sri Lanka's hopes. DeSilva completed his second T20 International half-century off 31 balls but kept falling wickets from the other end.
Saini ended his innings by catching DeSilva at the third man. He hit eight fours and a six. Earlier Indian innings were fluctuating. After a good start, he lost four wickets in 12 balls and 25 runs, but Pandey shared an unbroken partnership of 42 runs with Kohli and 37 from 14 balls with Shardul, which helped India reach 200 runs. From Sri Lanka, Chinaman Syndak Sandakan was the most successful bowler. He took three wickets for 35 runs. Captain Lasith Malinga won the toss and handed India the first batting. Matthews, who returned to this format after nearly 16 months, took the new ball with Malinga. In this over, Dasun Shanaka left Dhawan's difficult catch at the boundary line, while Rahul made visible fours on the last two balls.
Rahul was in an excellent rhythm. He took the first six of the Indian innings at the long leg on off-spinner Dhananjay DeSilva, who replaced Mathews. Dhawan played very slow in the last match but today he added tone to Rahul's voice. After adopting an aggressive stance on Malinga, he welcomed Lahiru Kumara with two fours, helping India to score 63 runs in six overs of the powerplay. Dhawan then hit a six over Wahindu Hasranga and completed the tenth half-century of his career off 34th balls but was caught at deep midwicket off Sandakan's ball. Sanju Samson (6), who was out of the last 73 matches, came out to take his place and he hit a six off long off the very first ball but Hasranga lbw him out in the next over. Rahul also completed his ninth half-century off 34 balls, but after that, he was stumped after eating the ball on Sandagkan's googly. Sandakan also sent new batsman Shreyas Iyer (four) to the pavilion and forced Kohli to come to the crease. Kohli hit a six over Mathews but the Indian captain, who specializes in the race between the wickets, was run out in an attempt to take a second run. In this over of Kumara, Washington Sundar took an easy catch on the third man. Shardul showed his batting skills here and hit sixes on both Malinga and Kumara. Pandey hit four boundaries in his unbeaten innings.
You must be logged in to post a comment.