SL v IND, Only T20 Review: Virat Kohli special makes sure Sri Lanka remains winless

Virat Kohli punched the air the moment he scythed the last ball of Malinga’s spell to the midwicket boundary. He knew that India were within touching distance of making a clean sweep across formats. The skipper was holed out three balls later with 10 needed from 10 balls for a magical 54-ball 82.

Kohli-Pandey turn on the heat on the hosts

The Indian skipper was at the cynosure of yet another limited overs chase for India. His 119-run partnership for the third wicket with Manish Pandey (51*) set up the chase of a par 170 for 7 posted by the hosts. Kohli was exhausted during the run chase, an unfamiliar sight as the 28-year old set high fitness standards. Perhaps the humidity got to him in Colombo but he made sure that he was slick in his 50th T20I appearance for the country.

Pandey wasn’t the one to be left too far behind. He remained unbeaten on 51* – his first T20I fifty – off just 36 balls faced and deservingly hit the winning runs. In the end, India won the game comfortably with 7 wickets in hand and four balls to spare. Sri Lanka fought hard but fell short for the 9th consecutive time in the series. Only Lasith Malinga and Akila Dananjaya challenged the power packed Indian batting, returning with figures of 1/31 and 0/28 off four overs respectively.

KL Rahul returned to the familiar position of opening the innings and looked spry during his 18-ball stay, off which he scored 24. He was brilliantly taken at cover by Shanaka off the bowling of Seekkuge Prasanna. Rahul was left thinking that even 2 meters either side of the fielder would have earned him four runs but that is what makes this game a great leveler. Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a single digit score when he failed to clear mid off and was caught smartly by Thisara Perera off the bowling of his Mumbai Indians teammate Lasith Malinga.

By the time Dhoni arrived to replace Kohli, only the mere formalities were left to be completed. He, like the last ODI, faced just the solitary delivery off which he scored a single. India would be proud with their flawless tour of the Island nation. They have never lost a single T20I in Sri Lanka while facing the home side.

Munaweera shines but top order falters yet again

Dilshan Munaweera played like his namesake in his 10th T20 appearance for his country. Batting at No.3, Munaweera got his first international fifty and ensured that Sri Lanka doesn’t lose momentum in the early overs. Skipper Tharanga and his opening partner Dickwella were already in the dugout before the fielding restrictions were lifted. Senior statesman Mathews was snapped by Yuzvendra Chahal as the former skipper overbalanced which gave enough time to MS Dhoni to produce a typical stumping. It was down to debutant Ashan Priyanjan and Munaweera to resurrect the innings from thereon. The hosts had the run rate but three quick wickets pegged them back.

Both added 37 runs in 29 balls before a freak dismissal led to the downfall of Munaweera. The humidity in Colombo was over 90 % and every player on the park was sweating profusely which led Munaweera to lose his bat while attempting a pull off Kuldeep Yadav. The ball flicked the off stump and the right hander was on his way for an impressive 53 off 29 balls. Wickets kept tumbling post his departure as Priyanjan held one end up. Chahal sent Perera and Shanaka back in the same over to reduce Sri Lanka to 113 for 6 in 14 overs.

The tail did well to get 57 runs in the last 6 overs. Prasanna and Udana’s cameo coupled with a run-a-ball 40 by Priyanjan ensured that the bowlers had something to bowl at. 170 was going to be a competitive one and challenged India to some extent but the class of Kohli helped India to make light work of the target. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah were expensive according to their standards as the duo fast bowlers returned with 1/36 and 1/38 respectively off their quota of 4 overs. Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers, finishing the game with 2/20 while Chahal was slightly expensive but had three wickets to show after conceding 43 runs.

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka – 170 for 7 in 20 overs (Dilshan Munaweera 53, Ashan Priyanjan 40*, Yuzvendra Chahal 3/43)

India – 174 for 3 in 19.2 overs (Virat Kohli 82, Manish Pandey 51*, Seekkuge Prasanna 1/25).