India and New Zealand clashed against each other in the third and final match of the T20I series in Rajkot on Saturday, January 7. Indian captain Hardik Pandya decided to bat after winning the toss. There was no change in the Indian team and they ended up winning the final match of the series by 91 runs.
During the second innings, India’s speedster Umran Malik brought the heat to the ground with his furious pace. He took two important wickets of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana in his 4-over quota. The third T20I once again saw him at his speedy best, troubling Sri Lanka’s batters with the extra yard of pace.
For No.9 Theekshana, Umran’s 146 kph offering was too much to handle as it slipped past his bat and uprooted the off stump. In a style that’s now becoming his trademark, Umran celebrated with a flying kiss and a little punch in the air.
Watch the video here:
#UmranMalik pace speed mad🔥#INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/uwXZ2CHoKm
— santhosh goud (@1LL3zVur3KMLgzQ) January 7, 2023
A brilliant all-round performance by the Indian Team
The hosts posted a mammoth total of 228 in the series decider after opting to bat. Ishan Kishan fell early, Shubman Gill took ten balls to get off the mark and it was Rahul Tripathi, who ensured that India had a good powerplay. The Indian No. 3 perished in the final over of the powerplay and in arrived Suryakumar Yadav. The Indian star batsman wasted little time getting off the blocks and he did what only he can do.
Coming in to bat, Kusal Mendis started well with a flurry of strokes but once India adjusted their lines and lengths, the visitors simply fizzled away. All the bowlers had a good time out there. Notably, the spinners did a fine job.
There was a bit of grip for the slower deliveries, and that makes SKY’s innings all the more incredible. A complete no-contest in the run chase. It’s not every day that a team successfully chases down a 220-plus score and the pressure was too much for the young Lankan side to handle.
