What had looked like an inconsequential third T20I between India and Sri Lanka after the series had been won by the former ended up being a nail-biter. Sri Lanka suffered multiple setbacks, yet somehow found a way to get through the mishaps and eventually required only nine off 12 balls despite suffering a third collapse in as many games. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav then took a brave decision as both Mohammed Siraj and Khaleel Ahmed had an over left to be used, and he eventually gave the ball to Rinku Singh for the penultimate over.
On his second delivery, Rinku struck gold as head coach Gautam Gambhir flashed a delighted smile. The young spinner got the well-set batsman Kusal Perera out when Sri Lanka were six wickets in hand. On the final ball of the over, Rinku also sent back Ramesh Mendis to the pavilion, conceding just three runs from the over and made the final over pretty interesting.
Gautam Gambhir enjoyed that performance by the young bowler from the dugout visibly. The match took a different turn when only three runs were conceded through the 19th over, with Sri Lanka needing six runs from the last over. Suryakumar Yadav took matters into his own hands and decided to bowl the final over himself.
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On the second ball, he got Kamindu Mendis caught at third man, and on the next, he got Maheesh Theekshana, thus making an immediate impact. Although he missed out on a hat-trick as Asitha Fernando managed to defend the fourth ball, the game was pushed into a Super Over.
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It was double strikes by Washington Sundar in the Super Over, which limited Sri Lanka to just two runs. India, requiring just three runs for victory, chased down the target comfortably to complete a clean sweep against the hosts.
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Talking about the pulsating game, Suryakumar Yadav said, “When we were going out for the fielding session, I told the team, ‘I have seen games like this before. If we give our all for an hour and a half, we can pull it off.’ Enjoying both the highs of scoring 200-220 runs and the challenges of being 30/4 and 70/5 creates balance in life and helps you stay humble.
It is that sort of dramatic finish that underscores the need for the message to persevere and to have strategic decisions in every game, even when won, further bringing out the depth of talent and composure within the Indian team.
