SKY lights up Rajkot as India clinch T20I series

For everyone who thought that it was going to be a close contest awaiting us all at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, India had entirely different plans as they went head on against the might of Sri Lanka and left them belly up after a rampaging spree in Rajkot. 

Hardik Pandya won an important toss and opted to bat first in the series finale as India had an early hiccup to overcome. Ishan Kishan couldn’t really get off the block with Dilshan Madushanka striking early. However, the Indians managed to put their foot down and toil away in glory as Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi steered the Indian ship to safety following which India brought out the heavy artillery with the latter calling the shots.

Despite the fall of Tripathi, it was India’s finest who took over the mantle, laying waste to the Lankan bowlers at will. Suryakumar Yadav who had a silent start to the series came back stronger in the third game of the fray to leave Sri Lanka bedazzled and punchdrunk. Gill played a perfect partner, occasionally targeting the bowlers while SKY kept on sprinkling his stardust relentlessly.

India lost a flurry of wickets at the other end but that did very little to deter their spirits as SKY seemed in no mood to relent. He had a fine partner in Axar Patel at the end who managed to start from where he left off back in the MCA Stadium, finishing things with a quickfire 21 while SKY stayed unbeaten for 112 from 51 balls.

Chasing 229 to secure the series, Sri Lanka got off to a blinder but their joys were ephemeral as India soon clawed their way back into the game through Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya, landing three major blows to destabilize the chase. Despite a brief resurgence, Sri Lanka could barely withstand the Indian heat as Umran Malik and Yuzvendra Chahal chipped away at their middle-order.

Despite a warring knock from Dasun Shanaka, Arshdeep Singh returned for a final spell to clean up the Lankan skipper as India rode hammer and tongs across the finish line, asserting their majestic brilliance and unparalleled dominion over their neighbours in the shortest format of the game. With the T20I series wrapped, the Men in Blue will now focus on the upcoming ODI series that will see the big guns returning while also heralding further preparations for the upcoming World Cup.