Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh bowled the 20th and 19th overs to script India’s third T20I win in a Super Over against Sri Lanka (SL). Suryakumar Yadav had never bowled in T20I cricket. He even played 12 balls in an ODI match against Netherlands during the ODI World Cup last year.
Rinku Singh was also not a bowler. However, they both contributed to India’s stunning comeback during the third T20I against Sri Lanka at Pallekele. The two most famous six-hitters for India decided to bowl during last moments of low scoring match making it to super over, which India won comfortably thereby completing clean sweep for three-match series.
After Khaleel Ahmed delivered an unusually poor over with four wides, Sri Lanka required just 9 runs from 12 balls with six wickets remaining to level the series 2-1. Although Mohammed Siraj, the most seasoned Indian bowler present, had an over left, Surya chose to give the ball to Rinku, who had previously bowled only 11 overs in 133 T20 matches.
However, the pitch was favorable to him, gripping and turning. Regularly practicing his off-spin in Sri Lanka, Rinku began the over impressively, spinning one past Kusal Perera’s reverse sweep.
The next delivery was even more effective, deceiving Perera, who attempted a big shot but only managed to top-edge a return catch to the bowler. Perera’s dismissal was crucial, as he was the only Sri Lankan batter who appeared comfortable on the challenging surface.
Needing 9 off 10 deliveries, the advantage lay still with Sri Lanka but Riku had only begun. He made only three runs from his next three balls. However, the last ball saw him taking another wicket. Ramesh Mendis attempted for big but was caught out in the deep mid-wicket fence. Riku’s first over in international cricket saw him return with 2/3 numbers, thus giving India an opportunity to survive.
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India defeated Sri Lanka in a super over
Siraj went to his usual spot to bowl but Surya had other plans, it was an understandable decision. The umpires brought the message that India must maintain one less fielder on their boundary lines because of slow over rate, which made him change his mind and start thinking about taking chances by playing.
Same as Rinku, who recently became captain of T20I in India, started with a dot ball but his next two deliveries resulted in back to back wickets creating chaos during that moment. On the other hand Asitha Fernando scored just one off the hat trick ball bringing down the equation to five runs off two balls. From here onwards it seemed like India was going to win this match.
Surya bowled a low, spiked delivery to newbie Chamindu Wickramasinghe, who smashed it towards long-off and took two runs. Rinku’s throw to Surya was just a bit off target, which meant Asitha was also out of place. Surya gathered the ball but sent it to the wicketkeeper instead of trying to effect his run out at the end where Wickramasinghe was already in safety.
Shubman Gill’s imprecise last ball enabled Asitha to tie the game. After scoring 137 runs each, Sri Lanka were ahead on 110/1 after 15 overs. In the Super Over, Washington Sundar took Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka, so it was up to India to chase down three runs which Surya completed with just one ball.
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