IND vs SL | Dasun Shanaka’s 74* rescues visitors once again

Sri Lanka scored 68 off the last five overs to post 146 runs in the final T20I of the series on Sunday evening at Dharamshala. A familiar script followed today with the visitors maximising the death overs in the first innings making sure that they got themselves out of the precarious situation that they put themselves in the first 10 overs.

Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka was it at once again, leading from the front to score 74* off just 38 balls, after bailing his team out in the last T20I as well. Shanaka’s ability to hit in all parts of the ground was apparent as he punished Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi and Harshal Patel in the last three overs to make sure that Sri Lanka put something on board for the bowlers.

He added 86 runs off 47 balls for the 6th wicket and pointed out some key issues with India’s death bowling, that has gone for a massive amount of runs in the last two matches.

Shanaka’s innings was highlighted by 9 boundaries and 2 sixes where he latched on to any loose deliveries that were not bowled according to the placement of the field.

Indian bowlers, however, barring the final 5 overs, bowled very well keeping SL to just 78/5 in the first 15 overs. The Lanka top order found India’s new look attack very tough to negotiate and lost wickets regularly in the first 10 overs. An initial burst from Mohammad Siraj and Avesh Khan put them under the pump before Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav took over the reins.

India need 147 off their 20 overs in the chase to level Afghanistan’s 12-match win streak in the T20I format.