Hero Hasaranga!

Wanindu’s 4 for 9 followed by an unbeaten 14 on his 24th birthday ensures Sri Lanka register T20I series win over India with 7 wickets and 33 balls to spare

Spinner 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 series 2-1. 

Dhananjaya scores 23

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 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 wicketkeeper-batsman Minod Bhanuka for 18. 

Hasaranga was the star of the day after his twin strikes, including Sanju Samson for nought in the fifth over of India’s innings, put Sri Lanka in charge. Skipper Shikhar Dhawan was out for nought in the first over off pace bowler Dushmantha Chameetra 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.

Lowest total against SL

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 Covid-19. 

Saini to undergo scans for injury 

India pacer Navdeep Saini will have to undergo scans to ascertain the extent of damage done to his left shoulder after an ugly fall while fielding in the second T20 International against Sri Lanka. Saini, who did not bowl a single over in the game, was taken off the field in the penultimate over of the Sri Lanka innings, when he fell on his left shoulder.

“Navdeep Saini suffered a left shoulder injury while fielding during the second T20I vs Sri Lanka on 28th July. He might have to undergo scans to ascertain the extent of injury. His progress is being monitored by the medical staff,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Brief scores

India 81-8 in 20 overs
(K Yadav 23*, B Kumar 16; W Hasaranga 4-9, D Shanaka 2-20) lost to Sri Lanka 82-3 in 14.3 overs  (D de Silva 23*, M Bhanuka 18, W Hasaranga 14*; R Chahar 3-15) by 7 wickets

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