COLOMBO: All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga took four wickets on his 24th birthday to help Sri Lanka thrash India by seven wickets on Thursday and claim the three-match Twenty20 International series 2-1.

Hasaranga returned career-best T20 figures of 4-9 with his leg-spin as India finished on a paltry 81-8, a total Sri Lanka overhauled in 14.3 overs at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Dhananjaya de Silva, unbeaten on 23, and Hasaranga, 14 not out, steered the team home after Indian leg-spinner Rahul Chahar sent back Sri Lanka’s top three including wicket-keeper/batter Minod Bhanuka for 18.

Hasaranga was the star of the day after his twin strikes, including Sanju Samson for a duck in the fifth over of India’s innings, put Sri Lanka in charge.

Skipper Shikhar Dhawan was earlier dismissed for a golden duck in the first over off pace bowler Dushmantha Chameera after India elected to bat first.

Number seven Kuldeep Yadav made an unbeaten 23 to take India past their lowest ever T20 score of 74 against Australia in 2008.

The total was India’s lowest against the island nation after they were bowled out for 101 in 2016.

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka took two wickets including a sharp caught and bowled to send back Nitish Rana for six.

Sri Lanka on Wednesday bounced back from an opening loss to win the second match, delayed by one day due after India’s Krunal Pandya tested positive for coronavirus putting him in isolation along with eight close contacts.

India won the three-match One-day International series 2-1 after its start was pushed back by five days due to a coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in the Sri Lankan camp.

Scoreboard

INDIA:

R.D. Gaikwad lbw b Hasaranga 14

S. Dhawan c de Silva b Chameera 0

D. Padikkal lbw b Mendis 9

S.V. Samson lbw b Hasaranga 0

N. Rana c and b Shanaka 6

B. Kumar c Shanaka b Hasaranga 16

Kuldeep Yadav not out 23

R.D. Chahar c Bhanuka b Shanaka 5

V. Chakravarthy c Karunaratne b Hasaranga 0

C. Sakariya not out 5

EXTRAS (W-3) 3

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 20 overs) 81

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-23, 3-24, 4-25, 5-36, 6-55, 7-62, 8-63.

DID NOT BAT: S.S. Warrier.

BOWLING: Chameera 4-0-16-1 (1w); Karunaratne 2-0-12-0; Mendis 2-0-13-1 (1w); Hasaranga 4-0-9-4; Dananjaya 4-0-11-0.

SRI LANKA:

W.I.A. Fernando c and b Chahar 12

M. Bhanuka lbw b Chahar 18

W.S.R. Samarawickrama b Chahar 6

D.M. de Silva not out 23

W. Hasaranga not out 14

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-5) 9

TOTAL (for three wkts, 14.3 overs) 82

FALL OF WKTS: 1-23, 2-35, 3-56.

DID NOT BAT: P. Nissanka, M.D. Shanaka, W.R.T. Mendis, C. Karunaratne, P.V.D. Chameera, A. Dananjaya.

BOWLING: Kumar 2-0-9-0 (2w); Chakravarthy 3.3-0-15-0 (1w); Warrier 3-0-23-0 (1w); Chahar 4-0-15-3; Kuldeep Yadav 2-0-16-0 (1w).

RESULT: Sri Lanka won by seven wickets to win three-match series 2-1.

UMPIRES: H.D.P.K. Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) and R.S.A. Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka).

TV UMPIRE: L.E. Hannibal (Sri Lanka).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Wanindu Hasaranga.

PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: Wanindu Hasaranga.

FIRST MATCH: Colombo, India won by 38 runs.

SECOND MATCH: Colombo, Sri Lanka won by four wickets.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2021