India beat Sri Lanka in Super Over thriller to clean sweep series

PALLEKELE: India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh turned out to be the unlikely heroes with the ball for the visitors, and Washington Sundar applied the finishing touches in all departments to seal off a win in the Super Over in the third T20I at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

The new era under Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir began with a 3-0 T20I series win over Sri Lanka. India decided to change the winning combination and made four changes in the playing XI. Despite tottering with the bat, India relied on their high-risk, high-reward approach, and eventually, it paid off.

While chasing 138, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis stitched up an opening 58-run stand to set the tone of the game.

Ravi Bishnoi got the breakthrough in the ninth over, raising hopes for an unprecedented comeback. Bishnoi returned to remove Mendis (43) by trapping him in front of the stumps.

Washington Sundar removed Wanindu Hasaranga and Charith Asalanka on back-to-back deliveries to turn the tides in India's favour.

With nine runs needed off 12 balls, Suryakumar Yadav gambled on Rinku Singh, and he delivered when the situation demanded most.

In a single over, Rinku sent set-batter Kusal Perera (46) and then Ramesh Mendis (3) back to the dugout to bring the equation down to six runs in six balls.

Suryakumar took the ball in his hand and claimed two wickets in a row, bringing the equation down to three runs on the final ball. Chamindu Wickramasinghe picked up a double on the final ball to take the game to Super Over.

Washington Sundar weaved magic, gave away two runs, and removed Kusal Mendis and Nissanka to restrict Sri Lanka to two runs.

Surykuamar pulled off a sweep to find the fence to complete the whitewash over Sri Lanka in the T20Is.

Score: India 137/9 (Shubman Gill 39, Riyan Parag 26; Maheesh Theekshana 3-28), Sri Lanka 137/8 (Kusal Perera 46, Kusal Mendis 43; Rinku Singh 2-3, Suryakumar Yadav 2-5).