RAJKOT: Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten century guided India to a 91-run victory over Sri Lanka in the third and final Twenty20 International on Saturday as the hosts clinched the series 2-1.

Yadav, the top-ranked batsman in T20s, made 112 not out, hitting seven fours and nine sixes in his 51-ball display as India set Sri Lanka a target of 229 after electing to bat first.

India lost two wickets inside six overs after electing to bat first but Suryakumar and Shubman Gill, who hit 46 off 36 deliveries, put on 111 runs to lay the foundations for the total.

Gill got bowled by leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and two more wickets fell before Suryakumar kept up the charge till the end as the hosts posted 228-5.

In response, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 137 as Arshdeep Singh bagged three wickets, while Hardik Pandya, Umran Malik and Yuzvendra Chahal took two wickets each.

Skipper Dasun Shanaka, who helped the tourists bounce back from their opening loss in the previous match, hit 23 off 17 balls before departing.

The teams will next meet in three One-day Internationals, with the first game scheduled for Tuesday in Guwahati.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA:

I. Kishan c D. de Silva b Madushanka 1

S. Gill b Hasaranga 46

R. Tripathi c Madushanka b Karunaratne 35

S. Yadav not out 112

H. Pandya c D. de Silva b Rajitha 4

D. Hooda c Hasaranga b Madushanka 4

A. Patel not out 21

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-3) 5

TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs) 228

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-3 (Kishan), (2-52) Tripathi, 3-163 (Gill), 4-174 (Pandya), 5-189 (Hooda)

DID NOT BAT: Mavi, Malik, Singh, Chahal

BOWLING: Madushanka 4-0-55-2 (1w); Rajitha 4-1-35-1 (1w); Theekshana 4-0-48-0; Karunaratne 4-0-52-1 (1w); Hasaranga 4-0-36-1

SRI LANKA:

P. Nissanka c Mavi b Arshdeep 15

K. Mendis c Malik b Axar 23

A. Fernando c Arshdeep b Pandya 1

D. de Silva c Gill b Chahal 22

C. Asalanka c Mavi b Chahal 19

D. Shanaka c Axar b Arshdeep 23

W. Hasaranga c Hooda b Malik 9

C. Karunaratne lbw Pandya 0

M. Theekshana b Malik 2

K. Rajitha not out 9

D. Madushanka b Arshdeep 1

EXTRAS (LB-1, NB-1, W-11) 13

TOTAL (all out, 16.4 overs) 137

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-44 (Mendis), 2-44 (Nissanka), 3-51 (Fernando), 4-84 (Asalanka), 5-96 (D. de Silva), 6-107 (Hasaranga), 7-123 (Karunaratne), 8-127 (Theekshana), 9-135 Shanaka, 10-137 (Loku Marakkalage)

BOWLING: Pandya 4-0-30-2 (2w); Arshdeep; 2.4-0-20-3 (4w); Mavi 1-0-6-0; Axar 3-0-19-1 (1w); Malik 3-0-31-2 (3w, 1nb); Chahal 3-0-30-2 (1w)

RESULT: India won by 91 runs.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Suryakumar Yadav

PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: Axar Patel

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2023