Cricket Photos

Ravichandran Ashwin Spins India To Series Win Against Sri Lanka

February 14, 2016 23:17

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up 4/8 as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 82, their lowest Twenty20 international score. Shikhar Dhawan helped India to a nine-wicket win to ensure a 2-1 series win.

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni fielded an unchanged side for the third time and chose to bowl in the third Twenty20 in Vizag. Opening the bowling with Ravichandran Ashwin, he reaped rewards immediately as he got the wickets of Niroshan Dickwella and Tillakaratne Dilshan to reduce Sri Lanka to 3/2. (Image Credit: BCCI and AFP)
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Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal also departed cheaply a Sri Lanka made a disastrous start in Vizag.
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Ashwin was in magnificent form as he picked up four out of the top five wickets to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 29/5.
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India continued to take wickets at regular intervals as Sri Lanka stumbled on a pitch that was assisting the Indian spinners.
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Combined with brilliant bowling, the fielding was also top notch. Ravindra Jadeja, in particular, ran out Seekkuge Prasanna for 9 with a back flick from mid off.
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Although Ashwin failed to take a five-wicket haul, he ended up with figures of 4-1-8-4, the best bowling figures by an Indian in Twenty20 Internationals, beating the previous best of 4/11, which was also by him in the 2014 World Twenty20 against Australia.
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Thisara Perera tried some big hits but it was not enough as Sri Lanka folded up for 82, their lowest Twenty20 International score.
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Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan got off to a solid start as India coasted towards the target.
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Dushmantha Chameera, who was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, got the wicket of Rohit for 13 as he gave the visitors something to smile.
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Despite the fall of Rohit, Dhawan continued his good form as he struck a couple of boundaries.
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Dhawan had good support from Ajinkya Rahane as they shared a 55-run stand for the second wicket to take India closer to the target.
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Dhawan smashed a four and a six to seal a magnificent nine-wicket win as India clinched the series 2-1.
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With this win, India have held on to their No.1 ranking in Twenty20 Internationals. Ashwin was the Man of the Match as well as the Man of the Series for his haul of 4/8 as well as for taking nine wickets in the series.
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With India winning five out of their last six Twenty20 internationals, MS Dhoni's team will be favorites heading into the World Twenty20 which begins in March.

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