IND vs SL: Suryakumar Yadav's majestic ton propels India to comprehensive victory in series finale
Suryakumar Yadav was named the player of the match after he registered his 3rd T20I century in the space of just six months.
India continued their dominance in bilateral T20I series at home after defeating Sri Lanka by a whopping 91 runs in the third and final T20I in front of a jam-packed Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. This was India's 19th T20I victory against the visitors, the most by any side in the shortest format of the game. The victory was set up by an unerring century by batting stalwart Suryakumar Yadav and the Indian bowlers did the rest, defending a mammoth total of 228 runs with relative ease.
Sri Lanka needed to complete a record chase if they needed to break their duck in bilateral T20I series in India. However, they were always behind the eight ball, with the Sri Lankan batters needing to manufacture shots from the get go. The Islanders made a decent start to the chase without making too much of a fuss, but India struck a huge blow after dismissing the dangerous Kushal Mendis inside the powerplay.
His opening partner Pathum Nissanka followed suit soon after as India kept plucking away at the wickets. The Indian spinners, who were taken for plenty in the series opener, helped India take control of the match in the middle overs as the Lankans started feeling the pressure. The young Indian pace attack also displayed better discipline with Arshdeep Singh compiling a much better bowling performance. The left-arm pacer sealed the series for India, dismissing Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka and Dilshan Madushanka in the 17th over to finish off the Sri Lankan innings.
A Suryakumar Yadav special propelled India to a mammoth total
The Indian team won the toss in the series decider and decided to bat first on a flat surface in Rajkot. The home side were looking to extend their winning streak against visitors but were rocked instantly after Ishan Kishan was removed cheaply in the opening over of the match. The Sri Lankan pacers were getting some assistance from the surface as run-scoring looked like a tedious task for the Indians.
However, Rahul Tripathi, who made his debut in the previous match, took the attack to the Lankan bowlers, ensuring India finished the powerplay on a high. But the explosive batter succumbed in the final over of the powerplay after dispatching Chamika Karunaratne for consecutive sixes in the same over.
Sri Lanka were looking to make a comeback in the game as Shubman Gill was unable to score freely from one end. But their hopes were dashed when Suryakumar Yadav walked into the middle. The Indian batter registered a brisk half-century in the previous match and continued in the same vein in the series decider. The Sri Lankan bowlers had no answer to his pyrotechnics and were reduced to mere spectators as the balls went sailing over the ropes frequently.
Despite losing partners from the other end, the batting ace continued with his onslaught, bringing up his third century in just 45 deliveries in typical swashbuckling fashion. The in-form Axar Patel, who played a heroic innings in a losing cause in the second T20I, propelled India to a mammoth 228 runs on the board with his valiant cameo.
Here is how Twitter reacted to a clinical performance by the Indian bowlers following SKY's magnificent ton:
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