Even though the second inning was mostly lost to rain, there was still a memorable drama. With plenty of action-packed excitement from both bat and ball, India prevailed in another thrilling match. Like in the previous game, Sri Lanka started the powerplay with an amazing 55/0 lead but ultimately lost it.
They were able to reach 161/9 in spite of another collapse in the last inning, mostly because of Kusal Perera’s half-century. Ravi Bishnoi was the most impressive bowler, taking three wickets to effectively contain the Lankans. Play was stopped for about an hour after just three balls had been kicked in the run chase by a short but heavy downpour. The revised target at the start of play was 78 runs in eight overs.
Though there was some initial concern following Sanju Samson’s dismissal for a golden duck, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suryakumar Yadav soon allayed any worries. With Jaiswal smashing a quick thirty off fifteen deliveries and Yadav adding twenty-six off twelve, they launched an unrelenting onslaught on the bowlers. Hardik Pandya proved to be the game-winning player, scoring a brilliant 22 off just 9 balls, even though Surya and Jaiswal both fell victim to catches made by Dasun Shanaka. With nine balls remaining, his efforts helped India win by a dominating seven wickets.
After recent setbacks, Kusal Perera regains form
The southpaw eventually turned in a noteworthy half-century following an erratic spell in the LPL 2024, where his form wavered between excellence and mediocrity. Sri Lanka amassed a virtually competitive score of 161, thanks in large part to this key innings.
Ravi Bishnoi combines his brilliant bowling to create a captivating show.
After picking up just one wicket in his last four Twenty20 Internationals, still carrying a nasty bruise from the previous game, and getting hurt under his left eye trying to make a return catch, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi was incredibly resilient. He ended up taking three crucial wickets with a stint that was incredibly accurate and precise and possessed remarkable consistency. Some of his scalps included bowling out all-rounders Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga in consecutive deliveries, as well as a beautifully-timed leg before wicket of set Pathum Nissanka.
India wins thanks to Jaiswal’s ferocious knock.
Jaiswal’s unwavering passion for hitting the ball persisted even after the rain cut short the game and made it shorter. In addition to igniting India’s innings, his spectacular blitz—a 15-ball, 30-run effort—also carried them to a series-clinching victory.
Losing skipper, Charith Asalanka
I am really disappointed with the way we batted at the death. We must really improve. This pitch, when the ball gets older, it gets tough to bat. As professional cricketers, we have to do better. We were behind by 15-18 runs. Weather also played its part. It’s not easy to bowl 8 overs with a wet outfield.
Winning skipper, Suryakumar Yadav
We spoke about this before the start of the tournament – what brand of cricket we want to play. This is the template we want to go ahead with. With the weather around, anything below 160 would have been nice. Rain helped us. The way the boys batted was wonderful. We’ll sit and decide (when asked if they’ll test their bench strength). Very happy for the boys. Showed a lot of character in tough situations.
Player of the Match, Ravi Bishnoi
The pitch was a little different from yesterday. It was turning a bit. Today, in the first innings it was helping the spinners. I stick to my plans. I just love bowling the wrong ‘uns. It’s a good responsibility to have (to bowl in the death), it means the captain and the management trust in me.
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