Sri Lanka v India, Only T20I, CT Player of the Match: Virat Kohli

India completed a clean sweep on the tour against Sri Lanka by winning the only T20I comfortably by 7 wickets courtesy Virat Kohli. It was yet another chase shepherded by the Indian skipper well supported by Manish Pandey. Sri Lanka, once again, had their moments like ODI series but lost it to the superior team on the day.

The game started 40 minutes late as the rain did not relent for the whole day only to stop exactly at the match time. Excellent drainage system and the hard work from the groundsmen made the full game possible. Kohli won yet another toss on the tour and invited the hosts to bat on a belter of a pitch. The hosts handed a debut to the newbie Ashan Priyanjan.

The hosts lost their openers early but young Dilshan Munaweera took on Indian spinners and blazed his way to a half century off just 26 deliveries. But Lankans lost the plot in the middle losing wickets consistently courtesy tight bowling from the visitors. Ashan Priyanjan, the debutant then held one end until the end and took the game forward along with the tail. When everyone thought Sri Lanka would fold up under 150, there was a counter attack from Isuru Udana and Priyanjan who added a vital 26 off last 2 overs to give their side a fighting total of 170 against the mighty Indians. For India, all the bowlers were excellent as Yuzvendra Chahal was the pick of the bowlers with 3/43.

Kohli masterclass in the chase

India were rocked early in the chase as Rohit Sharma was scalped early by Lasith Malinga. The skipper came out and received a peach first up from the wicket-taker. But then after a sedate start, he settled down. But the bowlers were bowling well and had tied the batsmen down. Soon KL Rahul fell to a brilliant catch by Dasun Shanaka and there were jitters in the Indian dressing room.

But the man who loves to chase, Virat Kohli had different ideas. As he sensed that Sri Lanka is gaining momentum, he stepped out to the spinner, Seekkuge Prasanna, and hit him for a six and India gathered the momentum. He then collected at least a boundary every over to keep the asking run rate in check. Pandey struggled early with some rusty shots but got in and along with his skipper started milking the opposition bowlers around.

The 28-year-old reached his half-century off just 30 deliveries with 4 fours and a six. The amazing thing about his innings so far was at one stage he was just 9 off his first nine deliveries. Slowly Manish and Virat started dominating the game and the hosts’ bowlers look hapless. The latter unwinded his wristy flicks and thumped the bowl to the boundary. He was alert in the running as well and converted 1s into 2s along with his partner. Pandey too responded well to his skipper and assisted him well.

Upul Tharanga brought back his ace bowler, Malinga back in the 16th over as the final dice in his kitty but to no avail. Kohli literally bludgeoned the fifth ball of the over straight towards the umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge which went to the boundary like a tracer bullet. The umpire somehow dropped himself to the floor and evaded the ball which would have hit his face quite hard.

Finally, at the end of 18th over, the required rate came under 6 as Kohli whipped the final delivery of the over to the midwicket boundary with a whirl of his wrists powerful enough to create a tornado. His expressions after the shot were worth watching as he pumped his fists in delight as he so badly wanted that boundary to kill the chase.

But the master of the chase could not finish the game this time around and was dismissed by hitting the shot in the air off Isuru Udana. He had finished his job by then though by scoring a scintillating 82 with 7 fours and a solitary six straight down the ground. He ran between the wickets extremely well which drained him out completely in the humidity of Colombo.

Pandey completed the formalities and completed his well-deserved half century off just 36 balls. His innings was studded with 4 fours and a six. Virat Kohli became the highest run scorer in chases in T20Is on his way to a magnificent knock.

India completed a ‘tourwash’ and their skipper ensured the hosts remain winless by some classy performances in the last 3 games of the tour. His last three scores on the tour read 131, 110* and 82 which talks a lot about his ability to dominate. Once he comes into his groove, no can stop this superman from India who is creating records of his own at a young age of only 28. There was no match to the skipper’s magnificent and masterful 82 and undoubtedly he is the CT Player of the Match.