Thirty two year old Suryakumar Yadav struck a blistering unbeaten 112 off 51’balls to put Sri Lanka out of the game as India won the third and final T20 by 91 runs at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot to take the series 2-1 on Friday night. The right-hander belted 9 sixes and 7 boundaries in a whirlwind 111 for the third wicket off 53 balls with Shubman Gill who struck 46 off 36 (2×4, 3×6) after Rahul Tripathi had set the tone smashing 35 off 10 balls inclusive of 5 boundaries and 2 over the top in a 48-run second wicket repair job off just 13 balls after Ishan Kishan had been clean bowled off the fourth delivery of the first over by Dilshan Madushanka for 1. The win ensured India kept its tall backyard bilateral series 11-win record intact in overcoming Sri Lanka’s ominous threat following the visitors winning the second game on a high.

Sri Lanka, despite a brisk 44 off 29 between openers Kusal Mendis 23 and Pathum Nissanka 15, found the run rate too much to keep pace to overhauling India’s massive 225 for 5 off 20 and flopped to 137 in 16.4 in the face of Arshadeep Singh’s on the spot bowling for figures of 3 for 20 who teamed up with Skipper Hardik Pandya 2 for 30 in breaking the back of the Lankan batting.

Suryakumar Yadav capped his third T20 century in 43 appearances in decorating himself with the Player of the Match award.

CHIEF SCORES: India 225/5 (20 Overs) (Suryakumar Yadav n.o. 112, Shubman Gill 46, Rahul Tripathi 35, Axar Patel n.o. 21, Dilshan Madushanka 2/48, Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 1/36,.Chamika Karunaratne 1/52)

Sri Lanka 137(16.4 Overs) (Kusal Mendis 23, Dasun Shanaka 23, Dhananjaya de Silva 22, Charith Asalanka 19, Pathum Nissanka 15, Arshadeep Singh 3/20, Hardik Pandya 2/30, Yuzvendra Chahal 1/30, Axar Patel 1/31)