India vs SL 3rd T20: Shreyas Iyer smashes HUGE record of Virat Kohli in bilateral series

Shreyas Iyer has now scored the most runs (204) for India in a three-match T20I bilateral series. Virat Kohli had scored 199 runs against Australia in 2016.

Shreyas Iyer en route to scoring unbeaten 73 against Sri Lanka in the 3rd T20 at Dharamsala. (Photo: IANS)

Team India’s ‘player-of-the-match’ and ‘man-of-the-series’ was on fire in the third T20 against Sri Lanka in Dharamsala as he strolled to his third successive fifty in the format. Iyer, who has been appointed the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season, scored over 200 runs in the series and ensured India completed their 12th consecutive T20 win and 3-0 whitewash of the Lankans as well.

In the 2nd T20I, Iyer had scored 74 not out off 44 as India chased down the big target of 184. In the 3rd T20I, he raced to another 50 off just 29 balls. India are chasing a target of 147 in search of a whitewash.

Special series Thanks for your wishes pic.twitter.com/Gta2X5GT6x — Shreyas Iyer (@ShreyasIyer15) February 27, 2022

Iyer’s 3rd consecutive half-century of the series meant that he joined former captain  Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in an elite list. Iyer is now one of the four Indian batsmen to score 3 consecutive half-centuries in the shortest format. He has now scored the most runs (204) for India in a three-match T20I bilateral series. Virat Kohli had scored 199 runs against Australia in 2016.

Kohli, the first Indian to achieve this milestone, had first hit 3 back-to-back fifty-plus scores in 2012. He repeated his heroics in 2014 and 2016.

Kohli was joined by current captain Rohit Sharma in 2018. Opener Rahul has achieved this milestone twice – in 2020 and 2021. Iyer and Kohli are the only 2 Indian batsmen to score 3 back-to-back half-centuries in a series. Iyer also became only the 2nd batter with three consecutive unbeaten 50-plus scores in a T20I series. Australian opener David Warner achieved the feat against Sri Lanka in 2019.