IND vs SL Preview: Sri Lanka’s struggles continue as India eye series whitewash in final T20I | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India, led by coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav, is set to pursue a series whitewash against Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I on Tuesday. With the series already secured following dominant victories in the first two games, India remain determined not to ease up.
In the second T20I, India achieved a confident seven-wicket victory in a rain-shortened match, thwarting Sri Lanka’s attempts to recover.Throughout the series, Sri Lanka’s struggles have been evident, particularly with their batting collapses in the middle overs. Despite promising starts, the hosts faltered under pressure and failed to maintain momentum against India’s formidable side.

On the same day, the Sri Lankan women’s team celebrated their maiden Women’s T20 Asia Cup title with a victory over India in Dambulla. However, this success had little impact on the men’s side, continuing to face persistent issues.

Team India has displayed their superiority, with Suryakumar Yadav leading effectively both in strategy and performance. He has made impactful bowling changes and contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 58 and 26 in the previous matches. India’s aggressive approach from the start has been fruitful, including a formidable 200-plus score in the opener and a slight tweak in the batting order in the second game, leading to a seven-wicket win and sealing the series.

Vice-captain and opener Shubman Gill, who missed the second game due to a stiff neck, remains a key player to watch. Sanju Samson, his replacement, had an unfortunate outing with a golden duck, but India will be seeking improved performances from the experienced batter.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a standout performer, scoring 70 runs in two matches and posing a significant threat to Sri Lankan bowlers. For Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka, with 111 runs, and Kusal Perera, with 73, have shown promise at the top, but the middle order’s recurrent failures remain a concern.
Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi had a crucial impact in the second game with figures of 3/26, highlighting Sri Lanka’s difficulties against spin.
“They play spin really well but I do not know what has happened, they are collapsing in the middle overs,” Bishnoi remarked, suggesting a potential lack of skills and aptitude among Sri Lankan players across formats.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers, particularly Matheesha Pathirana, who had an expensive return of 4/40 in the first game, need significant improvement to salvage pride in the final match.
As India aim for a whitewash, their aggressive gameplay and strategic execution will be closely watched, while Sri Lanka seek to avoid a clean sweep and conclude the series on a positive note.