Sports
Sri Lanka eye series win after restricting India to 81
By Rex Clementine
Birthday boy Wanindu Hasaranga is emerging to be a top class match winner as he claimed career best figures of four for nine on his 24th birthday to help Sri Lanka reduce India to 81 for eight in the third and final T-20 International at RPS yesterday.
It was India’s lowest total against Sri Lanka and their third lowest total in T-20 cricket.
India needed captain Shikhar Dhawan to score big with half their regulars, close contacts of Krunal Pandya who tested for COVID, in isolation. However, Dhawan departed in the first over and India never recovered from thereon.
Dushmantha Chameera was on the money from the start drawing the Indian captain for a drive and Dhananjaya de Silva at wide slip completed the catch.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka raised his game remarkably. Terribly out of form with the bat, Shanaka did the job with the ball having brought himself on midway through India’s innings. He took a spectacular left-handed diving catch to dismiss Nitish Rana.
The rest of the bowling was impeccable too keeping up the pressure making run scoring difficult and it looked India were content to bat out the 20 overs to try and see what total they can get at.
Kuldeep Yadav at number seven top scored with an unbeaten 23 that came off 28 balls while Bhuvneshwar Kumar made 16. Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was the only other to get into double figures as India lacked momentum throughout their innings.
The early damage was done by Hasaranga as India batsmen struggled to pick his straight delivery and were adjudged leg before wicket.
Sri Lanka are set for an easy win and this will be their first ever series victory over India in the shortest format of the game in eight attempts.
Caption: Wanindu Hasaranga claimed career best figures of four for nine as India were restricted for 81 for eight in the third T-20 International at RPS yesterday.