Team India take on Sri Lanka in Pune for the third and final clash of the three-match series tonight.
Team India registered a massive 78-run win over Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday (January 10).
With this victory, the 'Men In Blue' also secured the three-match T20I series by 2-0 after the first match in Guwahati ended up in a washout.
Inchase of a mammoth target of 202 runs, Sri Lanka got off to the worst possible start ever as opener Danushka Gunathilaka was sent back to the dressing room in the very first over, by Jasprit Bumrah.
Gunathilaka's opening partner, Avishka Fernando, was dismissed right after him in the very next over.
The visitors kept losing more wickets with Oshada Fernando and Kusal Perera were also sent back to the pavilion by Navdeep Saini.
It was when Dhananjaya de Silva and Angelo Mathews came out to bat, Sri Lanka managed to find some stability. The Lankan duo managed to knit together a 68-run partnership before spinner Washington Sundar dismissed Mathews (31).
Shardul Thakur came into the attack in the 14th over and dismissed two Sri Lanka batsmen in the over.
First, it was Dasun Shanaka who got dismissed after a brilliant caught-and-bowled effort from Thakur. Then it was Wanindu Hasaranga's turn who lost his wicket through a run out.
Sri Lanka failed to build any sort of momentum and were all out for 123 runs.
Indian bowlers were in top form as Saini, Thakur and Sundar bagged three wickets and two wickets each respectively.
Upon winning the toss, Lasith Malinga welcomed India to bat first.
Openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan handed Team India a tremendous start, knitting together a partnership of 97 runs for the first wicket.
Both openers also secured their half-centuries before Dhawan was dismissed by Lakshan Sandakan while batting on 52.
Sanju Samson came in and shot a massive six from the first ball he faced before losing his wicket being declared LBW off Wanindu Hasaranga's delivery.
Sandakan was the only Sri Lanka bowler who was in top form in Pune as he removed Rahul (54) and Shreyas Iyer (4) in the 14th over, bagging his three wickets for his troubles.
Skipper Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey provided India steadied the ship for India and formed a 42-run partnership.
Kohli was dismissed for 26 runs in the 18th over after a brilliant runout play from the visitors. Washington Sundar was sent back for a DUCK by Lahiru Kumara in the very next ball as well.
Shardul Thakur and Pandey then kept raining hell on the Lankan bowlers, adding 34 runs on the board to help India set a challenging target of 202 runs for Sri Lanka.
Brief scores: India 201/6 (KL Rahul 54, Shikhar Dhawan 52, Lakshan Sandakan 3-35) defeated Sri Lanka 123 (Dhananjaya de Silva 57, Angelo Mathews 31, Navdeep Saini 3-28) by 78 runs.
India vs Sri Lanka: Scorecard
SRI LANKA: 123/10 in 15.5 overs.
INDIA: 201/6 after 20.0 overs.
SQUAD:
India: Virat Kohli (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Manish Pandey, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Shardul Thakur.
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera (wk), Lasith Malinga (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan
1. The Toss!
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Sri Lanka win toss, opt to bowl first in Pune.
Sri Lanka have won the toss and will bowl first in the 3rd and final T20I against #TeamIndia.#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/BjihdFfxPB
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 10, 2020
PLAYING 11:
India (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli(c), Manish Pandey, Sanju Samson(w), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera(w), Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Lakshan Sandakan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga(c), Lahiru Kumara.
2. 50 UP for India!
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Openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan are in top form tonight as they boost India over the 50-run mark in 5 overs.
At the end of the powerplay, the 'Men In Blue' are 63/0 with both bastmen scoring 30 runs each.
3. 50 for Dhawan!
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Shikhar Dhawan brings up his well deserved half-century against Sri Lanka off just 34 delivers.
However, his celebrations were cut short by Lakshan Sandakan, who sends him back to the dressing room off the very next ball.
4. Mixed feelings for KL!
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Just like Dhawan, KL Rahul also brings up is 50 off 34 balls too.
And just like his opening partner, Rahul has also been sent back to the dressing room by Lakshan Sandakan, as he provides Sri Lanka with yet antoher key wicket.
5. Samson departs!
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This is not what Sanju Samson was hopping would happen but he departs after scoring just 6 runs off 2 deliveries as Hasaranga picks up his first wicket of the game.
6. Sandakan removes Iyer!
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Lakshan Sandakan picks up his third wicket of the day as he removes Shreyas Iyer for 4 runs.
India in trouble!
7. Kohli-Sundar depart quickly!
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After Virat Kohli 's dismissal off a brillient run out, Washington Sundar departs for a DUCK as Sri Lanka manages to bag two key wickets in Lahiru Kumara's over.
8. Innings break!
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India finish on 201/6 from their alocated 20 overs in Pune thanks to some brillient hitting from Manish Pandey (31*) and Shardul Thakur (22*) in the end.
Sri Lanka now need to score 202 to win the final match and draw the series 1-1.
9. Thakur removes Fernando
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Shardul Thakur hands India with another breakthrough as Sri Lanka lose their second wicket in chase 202.
Avishka Fernando departs after scoring just 9 runs in the end.
10. Saini removes Perera!
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Navdeep Sanini's rocket-like yorker disodges Kusal Perera's tumps.
He departs after scoring 7 runs off 10 balls.
11. Sundar removes Matthews
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Angelo Mathews' 31-run knock off 20 balls comes to an end after Manish Pandey takes an excellent catch in the deep.
Washington Sundar picks up his first wicket of the match.
12. Its all over!
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India win the third and final match in Pune to secure the thee-match series by 2-0 against Sri Lanka.
In chanse of India's 202, the visitors failed miserably and were all out for 123.
