Player of the Match
Player of the Match

10.42pm: All smiles as Hardik collects the winner's trophy from Niranjan Shah. Hardik then runs across and hands over the trophy to Shivam Mavi and Jitesh Sharma, who have assembled for the photograph with the rest of the team. Mukesh Kumar is there as well. Lovely to see. Mavi and Jitesh hold the trophy aloft. Another home series win for India, another box ticked. Sidharth Monga's report is up, while Hemant Brar's post-match stuff will be in soon. On that note, on behalf of Sidharth Monga and Thilak Rama, this is me Ashish Pant signing off, Ciao!

Srinivashvarma : "So good to see young boys enjoying like kids.....loved this team....keep it this way ..fearless agressive "

Here's Hardik Pandya, the winning captain: [On Surya] He has been surprising everyone and making everyone know that batting is very easy. If I am a bowler, I will be disheartened with the shot he plays. He has played blinders after blinders. Special mention to Rahul Tripathi as well, who played so well with the ball moving. Don't need to tell much to Sky, whenever he finds a situation when he is not sure, we try to find a solution. More often than not he has been doing it all on his own. Very proud of Axar. This series will give him a lot of confidence. It adds a lot of value to the team as well. My motto is to back my players. These are the best India cricketers in the T20 format, and there is not place in international cricket of doubting. The way we played, I was very happy. The way we competed, it was heartening to see. On our day, we will pull it back and keep winning.

Axar Patel is the Player of the Series: I enjoy my batting and feel happy when I perform with the bat. The captain gave me a lot of confidence and I think that is working my way. The planning is there, but I can't look to contain the batters. My mindset is to take wickets at all times.

Suryakumar Yadav is named Player of the Match : It is really important to put pressure on yourself when you are preparing for the game. The more pressure you put, the better you can play. There is a lot of hard work involved. Some quality practice sessions are also involved. The boundaries behind were 59-60m, so I tried to clear them. There are a few shots that are pre-determined but you have to be ready for other strokes as well. Most of the time, I try to find the gap, and use the field to my advantage, Dravid lets me enjoy, and tells me to express myself.

Sri Lanka captain, Dasun Shanaka, first up: Before coming here, I was not in top form, but I am very happy with my own performance. The way boys played the tournament, there were a lot of positives. The players have improved a lot. Good to see them playing well. [Not bowling enough] Coming into the series, I had an injury, so I did not bowl enough. Hopefully, will bowl more in the ODIs. [Batting] I want to keep the boys relaxed on the field, but while batting it is a different game. He congratulates Suryakumar for his innings as well.

Presentation time.

Siva: "I know its not much and won't count for as is, but Tripathis innings should be the template for Indian cricket to follow"

Animesh Pai: "Once Jadeja gets fit, it's going to be tough for him to be back in the team. I think Axar has done enough to be ahead of him. "

Here's Chahal: I try to bowl according to the wicket. I tried to bowl on that length, and if the batter hits it, then good for him. What Surya does in nets, you see that in the match. We try and send the best bowlers to him in the nets. And I am happy to be on his team. [On Axar] Axar has always been good. He is a perfect package. It is tough to bowl to him. He hits it clean. We spoke about the positive points in the team meeting and focused on that.

10.12pm Sri Lanka fought hard all series, but Suryakumar Yadav's third T20I century proved too much for them in the end. A chase of 229 was always going to be very tough, and the bowlers stuck to their length to defy the batters. Arshdeep Singh came back well picking three wickets, while Hardik Pandya, Umran Malik and Yuzvendra Chahal, all picked two wickets each. The wide counter was still too high for India's liking, but don't think Hardik would be complaining too much. A special word for Axar, who can't keep a foot wrong at the moment. None of the Sri Lanka batters fired with only Shanaka and Mendis making sort of a contribution.

Devesh : "Redemption for arshdeep"

BapuPatel: "So, Axar Patel for the Player of the Series? " Gets my vote.

16.4
W
Arshdeep Singh to Madushanka, OUT, All over! India win the match by 91 runs and take the series 2-1. Sri Lanka are skittled for 136, and India's run of bilateral T20I series wins at home continue. Fuller on middle stump, he has a swipe at it, gets an inside-edge back onto his stumps with the leg stump taking a walk.

D Madushanka b Arshdeep Singh 1 (4m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

16.3
1
Arshdeep Singh to Rajitha, 1 run, Length on middle, he throws his bat at it down to long on
16.2
1
Arshdeep Singh to Madushanka, 1 run, Low full toss outside off, he pushes to deep cover

Madushanka the last man in. Round the wicket is Arshdeep

16.1
W
Arshdeep Singh to Shanaka, OUT, And, gets his second wicket of the night! Shanaka has fought valiantly all through for his team, but there is only disappointment this time for him. On a length on middle, he clears his front leg again, aiming for a massive heave over potentially somewhere over long on. Gets a lot of height but no distance, and deep midwicket comes in to complete the catch.

MD Shanaka c Patel b Arshdeep Singh 23 (31m 17b 0x4 2x6) SR: 135.29

Arshdeep back

Avinash: "Mighty impressed with Umran and the lengths that he is bowling off late. And the consistency with which he has bowled the yorkers (along with his pace) makes him a lethal bowler."

END OF OVER:
16 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 135/8 (94 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 8.43, RRR: 23.50)

  • Kasun Rajitha8 (3b)
  • Dasun Shanaka23 (16b)
  • Umran Malik3-0-31-2
  • Hardik Pandya4-0-30-2

Kush: "Looks so Easy when the batters do their job well.. This Ind T20 lineup has more INTENT and should be persisted with. Maybe extended to ODIs as well.."

15.6
0
Umran Malik to Rajitha, no run, Back of a length on leg, he has a massive swipe at it stepping outside leg. Makes no connection whatsoever.
15.5
4
Umran Malik to Rajitha, FOUR, Oh, that is another spectacular shot. Length outside off, he drives on the up through covers and there is no stopping that on this outfield.
15.4
4
Umran Malik to Rajitha, FOUR, Oh, what a shot first up. Push him up the order, I say. Moves away to the length ball outside leg, he times it past the bowler and past mid-on

Rajitha comes in now. The end is nigh. Win Probability: SL 0.01% * IND 99.99%

Reminder: You can watch the 3rd India vs Sri Lanka T20I LIVE in the UK on ESPN Player. And if you are in the USA, head over to ESPN+, and you can follow the game LIVE in English or in Hindi.

15.3
W
Umran Malik to Theekshana, OUT, The off stump goes for a walk! What a sight for a fast bowler! Length on off, Theekshana backs away but the 146kph thunderbolt is too quick for him. Misses his slog and sees his off pole flattened.

M Theekshana b Umran Malik 2 (6m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 40.00

15.2
0
Umran Malik to Theekshana, no run, Excellent pacy yorker, 148kph that just evades the leg stump
15.2
1w
Umran Malik to Theekshana, 1 wide, Sprays it way down leg. Called a wide
15.1
1
Umran Malik to Shanaka, 1 run, For the third time today, a Shanaka mis-hit blade falls out of a fielder's reach. 148.7kph short of length ball. Shanaka mistimes his pull. Ishan runs to his left, close to deep backward square, but the ball is out if anyone's reach.

Umran back

END OF OVER:
15 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 125/7 (104 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 8.33, RRR: 20.80)

  • Maheesh Theekshana2 (3b)
  • Dasun Shanaka22 (15b)
  • Hardik Pandya4-0-30-2
  • Yuzvendra Chahal3-0-30-2

Vimal: "Forget Shanaka. Get rest of the team out." Plan seems to be working so far :D

14.6
2
Pandya to Theekshana, 2 runs, Rolls his fingers over the ball again, and this time the batter opens the face of his blade past point

Sri Lanka 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st44BKG MendisP Nissanka
2nd0WIA FernandoP Nissanka
3rd7DM de SilvaWIA Fernando
4th33DM de SilvaKIC Asalanka
5th12MD ShanakaDM de Silva
6th11MD ShanakaPW Hasaranga
7th16MD ShanakaC Karunaratne
8th4MD ShanakaM Theekshana
9th8MD ShanakaCAK Rajitha
10th2CAK RajithaD Madushanka