Pallekele (Sri Lanka): Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh turned out to be 'men with golden arm' as Sri Lanka's saga of inexplicable collapses continued in a low-scoring thriller as India won the third T20I in Super Over to complete a 3-0 series whitewash, which didn't look possible in the 38 overs.
Chasing a target of 138 on a rank turner, Sri Lanka were cruising along at 110 for 1 in 15.1 over before they once again lost their way -- third time in four days to be tied at 137 for 8.
In the latest instance, the hosts lost seven wickets for 27 runs in a space of 4.5 overs. Having miraculously lost their way in the regulation game, the Indians were way more buoyed in the Super Over where Washington Sundar got both wickets giving away only two runs and then the captain fittingly completed the proceedings with a first ball sweep shot.
No amount of credit is enough for the new Indian leader, who came into bowl in the 20th over with six runs to defend and got two wickets in his first two balls.
This was after Rinku, another part-timer, rolled his arm over for the first time in a T20I to bag a couple of wickets, including that of Kusal Perera (46) when all Lanka needed was 9 runs in 12 balls. The 19th over cost India only three runs and suddenly the match that looked all but over after Khaleel Ahmed's profligate 18th over with six wides came into life.
But when Kusal Mendis (43), Pathum Nissanka (26) and Perera (46) were in cruise control mode with stands of 58 and 52 for the first and second wicket stands, the story looked different. However, just like winning, losing is also a habit and the Islanders have caught that bad bug.
As far as Surya is concerned, in his first series as the skipper, he could do no wrong and also was the reason behind head coach Gautam Gambhir's wide grin when Rinku was brought in the 19th over and removed Perera.