COLOMBO: Leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga did the start turn as Sri Lanka beat India by seven wickets in the third and final T20 International to clinch the series 2-1, in Colombo, on Thursday. The home side coasted to the total with 33 balls to spare.
Electing to bat first, India, playing with at least two batsmen short, were restricted to 81 for 8, their third lowest total, as Hasaranga scalped four wickets for nine runs in four overs.
The bowler then batted doggedly with Dhananjaya de Silva after Sri Lanka were reduced to 56 for 3 in the 12th over, scoring an unbeaten 14 off 9 balls, to help the side through in 14.3 overs. De Silva was unbeaten on 23 off 20 balls, which included two fours.
Leg spinner Rahul Chahar accounted for all the Sri Lanka wickets, for figures of 3 for 15 in four overs.
Chahar dismissed both the openers -- Avishka Fernando (12) and Minod Bhanuka (18) -- and Sadeera Samarawickrama (6), but the meagre total did not give India a chance to script a comeback.
India had a poor start when captain Shikhar Dhawan got out for a golden duck, falling in the first over.
A brief partnership between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devdutt Padikkal ensued before the latter was scalped by off-spinner Ramesh Mendis with the team score on 23. Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga then got two quick wickets to leave India tottering at 25/4.
Once the fourth wicket fell, Sri Lanka got into India's tail with pace bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar coming out.
Kuldeep Yadav's 23 off 28 took India to their eventual score.
India had to field below-strength team on Wednesday and Thursday's T20Is since nine of their players, including Covid-affected Krunal Pandya, are in isolation.
This is Sri Lanka's first T20 series victory over India. They were beaten in the preceding ODI series 1-2.
Brief scores:
India 81/8 in 20 overs (K Yadav 23 not out, W Hasaranga 4/9, D Shanaka 2/20) lost to Sri Lanka 82/3 in 14.3 overs (D de Silva 23 not out, M Bhanuka 18, R Chahar 3/15) by 7 wickets. Agencies
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