Shreyas Iyer notched up his third consecutive fifty as Team India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the third T20I in Dharamsala on Sunday. With the triumph, the Men in Blue completed a 3-0 whitewash of the Lankans and also equaled Afghanistan’s record of 12 consecutive T20I wins – the most by any Test-playing nation.
Chasing 147, Shreyas guided the hosts home with an unbeaten on 73 off 45 balls, which meant he wasn’t dismissed in the series even once. The 27-year-old struck nine fours and six as India aced another chase. Fittingly, he hit the winning runs in the 17th over, whipping Lahiru Kumara for a boundary through midwicket. Like in the last game, Shreyas had Ravindra Jadeja, who returned undefeated on 22 from 15 balls, for company.
Earlier, India lost skipper Rohit Sharma for 5 in the second over. The Indian captain tried to hit a length ball from Dushmantha Chameera over mid-off. However, he was undone by the extra bounce and ended up top-edging the delivery.
Shreyas continued his impressive form, finding boundaries at will. He hit three fours in the fourth over bowled by Kumara. Two more came off Binura Fernando as Team India ended their powerplay at 47 for 1.
Sanju Samson, opening in place of Ishan Kishan, could not grab his opportunity. He fell for 18, edging a length delivery outside off from Chamika Karunaratne to the keeper. Promoted to No. 4, Deepak Hooda came in and struck a couple of meaty blows as India eased their way to 86 for 2 at the halfway stage.
Hooda’s innings ended on 21 off 16 as Kumara got his yorker spot-on. Immediately after, though, Shreyas completed a hat-trick of half-centuries in grand style. He launched Jeffrey Vandersay over midwicket for a maximum to reach a 29-ball fifty.
Venkatesh Iyer was out for 5 as he dragged a short ball from Kumara to deep square leg. However, Shreyas and Jadeja carried on from where they left off on Saturday.
Shanaka’s blazing 74* lifts Sri Lanka to 146/5 after batting collapse
For the second day in a row, Dasun Shanaka played a blistering knock to lift Sri Lanka to a position of respectability after a batting collapse. Coming into the bat with the score reading 29 for 4, the Lankan captain hammered an unbeaten 74 off only 38 balls, clobbering nine fours and two sixes.
Sri Lankan looted 80 off the last five overs in the second T20I. On Sunday, they plundered 68. Shanaka broke loose by smacking Mohammed Siraj for two fours in the 17th over. In the next over from Ravi Bishnoi, he swung hard and found consecutive boundaries.
The penultimate over of the innings, bowled by Avesh Khan, went for 19. Shanaka brought up a 29-ball fifty by drilling the first delivery down the ground for four. After picking up another boundary, he launched a six over long-on – the first one of the innings. The Sri Lankan skipper swiped a six and a four in the last over bowled by Harshal Patel as the visitors finished on 146 for 5.
Earlier, the Lankans got off to a horrible start after winning the toss and batting first. Danushka Gunathilaka was out for a golden duck as he dragged a short ball from Siraj onto the stumps in the first over. Avesh then got his first wicket in T20I cricket as Pathum Nissanka (1) offered a skier to mid-off.
Avesh had a second when Charith Asalanka (4) hit a length ball that had some extra bounce straight up in the air. Sanju Samson took a well-judged catch as Sri Lanka slipped to 11 for 3. The score became 29 for 4 when Ravi Bishnoi foxed Janith Liyanage (9) and cleaned him up. Shanaka then came in and gave the innings some much-needed momentum.
India vs Sri Lanka 2022: Who was the Player of the Match in the 3rd T20I?
Sri Lankan captain Shanaka was the lone ranger for his team with the bat. His half-century gave the visitors something to bowl at.
Avesh was India’s best bowler with figures of 2 for 23, while Siraj finished with 1 for 22. Shreyas extended his excellent form and notched up his third consecutive fifty-plus score of the series.
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The consistent Shreyas was the easy choice for Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
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