Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir ushered in a new era for Indian cricket with a perfect start, as India defeated Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I match to secure a 3-0 series whitewash. This victory marks India’s first T20I whitewash against Sri Lanka in a series of at least three matches held in Sri Lanka, and their third overall.
Following the dramatic win in Pallekele on Tuesday, achieved through a Super Over, Rohit Sharma, set to lead India in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka, shared a “perfect” Instagram post celebrating the team’s success.
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India entered the final game with the series already clinched, having won the first two matches. Four changes were made to the playing XI for the final match. Despite being put to bat first on a pitch affected by rainfall over the previous 24 hours, India faced early setbacks, finding themselves at 30 for four within the powerplay and 48 for five shortly after. Shubman Gill and Riyan Parag then formed a crucial fifty-run partnership, and Washington Sundar’s handy cameo helped India post a competitive total of 137 on a spinning track.
Sri Lanka’s openers began the chase cautiously, building a fifty-run stand. The two Kusals, Perera and Mendis, set a solid foundation, appearing to guide the hosts to a consolation win. However, Sri Lanka’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure in the death overs, failing to score 9 runs off the final 12 balls against part-timers Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav.
In the Super Over, Washington Sundar dashed Sri Lanka’s hopes by taking two wickets for just two runs in three deliveries. India wrapped up the chase with the first ball, completing the whitewash over Sri Lanka.
Rohit Sharma celebrated the victory by sharing a photo from the trophy celebration on Instagram, captioning it, “Perfect start. Well done Team India.”
Ahead of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka from August 3-7, Rohit Sharma arrived in Colombo on Sunday.. This series will mark his first match since winning the T20 World Cup last month in Barbados, following his retirement from the international format. It will also be his first appearance in ODIs since the 2023 World Cup final loss against Australia in Ahmedabad.
The ODI series will kick off India’s preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy next year, as the team looks to build on their recent successes and continue their winning momentum.
