3rd T20 highlight: India defeated Sri Lanka with 78 runs, winning the series 2-0

3rd T20 highlights: India defeated Sri Lanka with 78 runs, won the series 2-0. India beat Sri Lanka. KL Rahul (54 runs in 36 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (52 runs in 36 balls) score and had a challenging start to the season with 97 runs for first six overs in their allotted 20 overs.

India defeated Sri Lanka with 78 rounds in the third and final T20 International. They won the series 2-0 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday. India went to KL Rahul (54 out of 36) and Shikhar Dhawans ( 52 of 36) Opening stand to place a challenging 201 for six in their allotted 20 overs. Manish Pandey then smashed 31 of 18 balls and skipper Virat Kohli, who hit one six, scored a brisk 17 ball 26.

But India would not have passed the 200 run mark if Shardul Thakur hadn’t just fired 22 runs in eight balls. He smashed two sixes and a boundary. The Indian bowlers, led by right-wing Pacer Navdeep Saini (3/28) Shardul Thakur (2/19), defended the overall victory and bundled Sri Lanka for 123 in 15.5 overs. Off-spinner Washington Sundar also took two wickets and gave away 37 runs from his four overs. India won the series 2-0 after posting a sweeping seven-wicket win in Indore’s second T20 International. The first match of the series was washed out in Guwahati without a ball being thrown.

K L Rahul and Shikar set the show in india innings.

Shikhar Dhawan returned with a muscular half-century accompanied by a great KL Rahul when India needed, despite a mid-order breakdown in the third T20 International, scored a competitive 201-1 on Friday against Sri Lanka.

Dhawan, who has been under pressure for some time, smashed 52 out of 36 balls (7×4; 1×6) in his opening stand with 97 balls with the shaped Rahul (54 out of 36 balls, 5×4; 1×6).

However, the hosts suffered a moderate-order breakdown when Sri Lankan wrist moths Wanidu Hasaranga (1-27) and Chinese Lakshan Sandakan (3-35) twisted their nets around the batsmen on a flat track.

But Manish Pandey, who played his first game of the tournament, hit undefeated 31 of 18 balls, and Shardul Thakur was again a lower-order pinch hitter (22 not out of 8 balls; 1×4, 2×6) to ensure that the hosts 200- Run mark exceeded.

Rahul set the tone and played a cut shot by rival Lasith Malinga for his first boundary. Dhawan got an “early life” when Dasun Shanaka dropped one onto a deep square leg. Rahul then hit two consecutive boundaries, both sides, ahead of Angelo Mathews when India went to 22/0.

Visitors introduced Dhananjaya De Silva in the fourth game, but Dhawan greeted him with a 4-over-long-on. Rahul then sent a full Silva throw over a long leg while India took 13 runs.

Dhawan switched over to top gear in the 5th over of the match when he hit two boundaries and India reached the team score of 50. Dhawan made optimal use of life and smashed the fours in a row, hitting one over the backward point and another with additional cover against Pacer Lahiru Kumara. The duo rolled as well as India reached 82/0 after 9 overs .After two calm overs, Dhawan smashed Hasaranga in the middle of the wicket for six.

Shortly after his 10th T20I fifty , Dhawan was dismissed after giving Dhanushka Gunathilika a sitter in front of Sandakan in the middle of the wicket. However, his innings will certainly complicate Virat Kohli’s choice of Rohit Sharma’s partner for the upcoming Australia series.

Sanju Samson makes his debut

Sanju Samson (6) got his long-awaited chance when he was promoted to 3rd place and smashed a six at the first ball, but was caught in the front by Hasaranga when India slumped to 106/2.

Sandakan then tied the hosts back by eliminating Rahul and Shreyas Iyer (4) in the 13th because the hosts had problems at 122/4. While Rahul was stumped, Shreyas was return caught by sandakan.

However, skipper Kohli (26 of 17 balls, 2×4; 1×6) and Pandey then tried to collect the innings before Kohli and Washington Sundar (0) ended in the 18th. But Shardul’s spanking brought India over the par 200 score mark.