Rahul Tripathi Hits Back-To-Back Straight Sixes vs Sri Lanka In 3rd T20I
After making his international debut in the second T20I, Tripathi fell for 5 runs but made a massive comeback in the third match with a quickfire of 35 off 16 balls.
Team India clinched the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka 2-1 with a 91-run victory in the third fixture on Saturday in Rajkot. The Hardik Pandya-led side easily dominated the game after Suryakumar Yadav smashed an unbeaten 112 guided the hosts to a humongous total of 228/5 in 20 overs. In return, the visitors were bundled out for 137 as the entire Indian bowling unit rose to the occasion. Apart from Suryakumar, one player who definitely impressed everyone was batter Rahul Tripathi, who played his second international match on Saturday.
Making his international debut in the second T20I, Tripathi fell for 5 runs, but he made a supereb comeback in the third game with a quickfire of 35 off 16 balls. The 31-year-old batter came to the crease after Ishan Kishan departed in the first over. Ever since his arrival, Tripathi cleared his attacking intentions and smashed back-to-back boundaries off Dilshan Madushanka and Maheesh Theekshana. However, his sixes on Chamika Karunaratne's deliveries left everyone in splits.
In the sixth over of the innings, Tripathi thrashed Karunaratne with two back-to-back sixes. Both the sixes went straight down the ground.
However, Karunaratne redeemed himself on the very next delivery and dismissed Tripathi for 35 after Madushanka took a brilliant catch.
Coming to the match, Suryakumar displayed his unmatched superiority yet again in the shortest format with a scintillating hundred as India outplayed Sri Lanka in the third T20I to secure a memorable series win.
Suryakumar struck a sensational 112 not out off 51 balls for his third T20I century and fired India to an imposing total, making the job easier for his bowlers. He toyed with the Sri Lankan bowlers throughout, hitting fours and maximums at will and in his trademark manner all across the ground to notch his third century in the format.
The Indian bowlers then dominated as they skittled Sri Lanka for 137 to claim the series 2-1.
(With PTI Inputs)
India Cricket Team
Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Hardik Pandya