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India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI: As it happened
India win the series against Sri Lanka, 2-1. After losing the opener in Dharamsala, India made a heroic comeback in Mohali, and sealed it in Vishakapatnam.
 "India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI: As it happened")
Courtesy: IANS What a display by India and her youngsters. With only a few experienced players, this lot has shown that the future of Indian cricket is bright. Special mention goes to Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, with three wickets in ten overs, each. Even Shreyas Iyer proved his calibre again with a stupendous knock of 65 runs, coupled with eight fours and one six. There is really no need to mention Shikhar Dhawan and his ton, as he is used to being a match winner, but what a treat it has been for the Indian fans.
Kuldeep Yadav (3/42) wins the Man of the Match award.
Shikhar Dhawan wins the Man of the series award, with his 168 runs at an average of 84.
An 8th straight ODI series win for India.
Hats off to Vishakapatnam for being an amazing crowd today. They never let the Men in Blue down.
BLEED BLUE!!!
INDIA INNINGS (219/2)
32.1st over: Dananjaya to Karthik, and he hits it for a FOURRRR!
That's Dinesh Karthik (26) for you folks!
GAME OVER! India win the series, 2-1.
What a comeback by the hosts, after losing the opening in Dharamsala.
Goodnight folks. What a display by India, it has been. Even after Rohit got bowled, India kept their nerves, and what a ton by Shikhar Dhawan (100).
32nd over: India need 2 runs more, as Dhawan (100) reaches his century. Gunaratne was clueless as he conceded 10 runs.
31st over: Mathews has conceded 11 runs in this over. Dinesh (21) and Dhawan (92) look pretty comfortable and will probably win the game in the next over.
28th over: India has got 4 runs in this over.
Dhawan (70) is slowly cruising the game away from the grasps of Sri Lanka. Even though Rohit got out a little too early, the 32-year old from Delhi has got it in him, to win the game, and Karthik (13) is giving him able support.
India needs 37 runs.
23rd over: It was a good ball by Perera, in his fourth delivery. End of a fine Shreyas Iyer knock. Bowled by Perera and caught by Lakmal. He totally wasted his chance to reach a ton. It was pre-Christmas gift-wrapped to him, but he messed it up.
He was backed away and cramped by the delivery at his body, hit it straight towards mid-on, and Lakmal didn't dissapoint. He really needs to convert to a 100, hopefully some other day. Iyer goes out after making 65 runs within 63 balls and, in comes Dinesh Karthik.
20th over: Sri Lanka has given away 11 runs in this over. India needs a run-rate of 2.97 runs per over, and are currently on a 6.35 run-rate.
Dhawan (51) reached his half-century in the third ball of this Dananjaya over in 46 balls, smashing six fours and one six. He and Iyer (62) need to maintain this stand if India wants to win this crunch match, to decide the winner of this ODI series.
17th over: Even though this over by Pradeep has got India only 3 runs, but its pretty evident that Iyer (55) and Dhawan (37) are slowly understanding the Lankan bowlers, and what a quickfire half-century by Shreyas Iyer.
13th over: Its a good over by Nuwan Pradeep, as he just concedes two runs in this over. Dhawan (33) and Iyer (31) are being patient, but the Lankans are doing some amazing fielding.
10th over: India has scored 10 runs in this over by Dananjaya, with youngster Iyer (14) and Dhawan (27) hitting a four each.
7th over: Dhawan (12) takes a single of Lakmal's ball.
3.4th over: Dananjaya to Rohit. Bowled, the crowd has been silenced. The stand-in captain has got himself bowled. What an amazing googly. Dananjaya draws Rohit forward, with the bat-pad gap visible.
Rohit Sharma (7/14) walks away, and on comes the right-handed batsman Shreyas Iyer.
2nd over: Rohit Sharma (1) finishes Dananjaya's over with a watchful play at mid-wicket. No run. Its Dhawan's (2) turn next over.
SRI LANKA INNINGS (215 all out)
We will be back with you in about 40 minutes from now for the Indian chase. Catch a cuppa coffee till then :)
44.5 overs: 215 ALL OUT! Bhuvneshwar takes the last wicket of Gunaratne (17) who edges it straight to Dhoni. Chahal (3/46) and Kuldeep (3/42) the wreckers-in-chief after the Lankans were 136/1 at one stage. The good work of Tharanga (95) and Sadeera (42) undone by the middle and lower order. This should be an easy chase for the Indians.
41th over: NINTH WICKET! It's folding up rather quickly for SL. Suranga Lakmal (1) is trapped in front by Pandya. Nuwan Pradeep the last man in. 211/9
40th over: Three wickets in as many overs! Sri Lanka making a real hash of it as Akila Dananjaya (1) is bowled around his legs while trying to sweep a full delivery from Kuldeep who gets his third wicket like Chahal. 211/8
39th over: SL LOSE 7th WICKET! Pandya will be relieved to be among the wickets as Pathirana (7) perishes out caught by Chahal while trying a wild heave! This innings is an example of how you undo the hard work of your top order. 208/7
38th over: The two Indian wrist spinners, Chahal and Kuldeep, have combined fingers of 5/84 in 17 overs. Broke the back on Lankan batting after they were cruising at 136/1 in the 23rd over. Now they are 204/6.
36th over: Third wicket for Chahal! Hits Perera (6) in front and the umpire gave out, but the Lankan captain decided to review; however, to no avail. Pathirana the new man in. SL 202/6.
35th Over: Yuzvendra Chahal returns. He was not at his best, though he got the wicket of Sadeera Samarawickrama. But the legspinner produced a brilliant delivery to clean up Angelo Mathews, off the penultimate ball of the over.
Wicket: Mathews b Chahal 17(28)
Lankan skipper Thisara Perera is the new man in the centre.
DRINKS
34th Over: Jasprit Bumrah returns but ends up leaking runs – conceding six runs which included a four off the third over by Angelo Mathews. In the previous over Kuldeep Yadav, leaked five runs as Lankan continue to approach the 200-run mark.
32nd Over: Another good over from Hardik Pandya. Only one run from his 8th over. Then, Kuldeep Yadav produces not so tidy over, conceding five runs, including two wides. Meanwhile, Angelo Mathews and Asela Gunaratne added 13 runs in 25 balls for the fifth wicket stand.
30th Over: Lankans in a rebuilding mode with former captain Angelo Mathews and Asela Gunaratne playing cautiously. For India, Kuldeep Yadav, who took a double scalp in his previous over, conceded five runs in his seventh over. And his figures so far read: 7-0-33-2. He is bowling in tandem with Hardik Pandya. The pacer is wicket-less but operating well.
28th Over: TWO WICKETS IN THE OVER FOR KULDEEP! 168/4, AND IT'S A DIFFERENT GAME NOW.
First THARANGA STUMPED! Dhoni's glovework brings India the big wicket of Tharanga (95) but credit to Kuldeep for beating the well-set Sri Lankan opener with a classic chinaman that spun away from the bat. 160/3
Then DICKWELL (8) CAUGHT! The aggressive SL wicketkeeper hit Yadav for two boundaries but then tried to be cheeky with another late-cut that went straight to Shreyas Iyer in the slips. Good captaincy by Rohit to keep a slip in place.
26th Over: There seems to be a Lankan strategy to go after Pandya as Mathews suggested with that hit to long-off fence for four. 151/2
25th over: It's the halfway stage in the Lankan innings that's been finely led by Tharanga (86*) who hit Chahal for a straight six off the fifth ball of this over. With him on the crease is last-match centurion Angelo Mathews (1*). SL 145/2
23rd Over: WICKET! Sadeera (42) holes out in the deep, slicing Chahal while trying to go for a big shot on the on-side but ending up in Dhawan's hands as he ran in from deep cover fence. 136/2
22nd Over: Pandya back on to bowl his fourth over, replacing Kuldeep, and Sadeera (42*) beautifully guides him wide to the right of third-man fielder for a boundary. His spell now reads 0/35. SL 136/1
20th Over: DROPPED. Sadeera (33*) came out to whip Kuldeep over short mid-wicket, where Dinesh Karthik leapt up and got both hands to the ball but only tipped it over the bar. 122/1. Tharanga on 74*.
19th over: Tharanga breaks the monotony of ones and twos with a HUGE STRAIGHT SIX off Chahal. And he ends the over with a boundary square of the pitch. Clearly, SL are sure anything less than 300 won't be a fight on this belter of a batting wicket. 117/1
17th over: Chahal into the attack and begins well, got a good shape and trajectory to his flight as well. Just three singles off it. Yadav has 0/12 in his three overs. So the spinners bowling in tandem. 100/1
16th over: Samarawickrama (26* off 38) looks one talented kid, especially the way he came down to Kuldeep and lifted him straight for a four in that over. Tharang is well set at 57 off 46. Sri Lanka 97/1
13th over: Bhuvneshwar pressed into service again, from Bumrah's end. So Rohit trying everything to dislodge this dangerous-looking pair. The young Samarawickrama also got hit on the helmet that over, but thankfully no physical damage. 81/1
11th over: Good comeback by Pandya in his next over, which resulted in just four runs, but overall Sri Lanka looking very good at 72/1. Tharanga on 50* off 36, Samarawickrama 10* off 20. Kuldeep Yadav coming in to replaced Bumrah at the other end.
9th over: Did Tharanga (48* off 33) hear me or what! Five consecutive fours, two edged one and three super shots, before a dot ball in that second over by Hardik Pandya. Take that! 65/1
8th over: Some course-correction by Bumrah and Bhunvneshwar in the last two overs, just four runs off. 45/1
6th over: Tharanga (24* off 21) continues to play his shots, but Bumrah there guilty of spraying it around through the over. First a pick-up shot off the hips and then a classic leg glance, followed by a drive through the covers for a couple. Bumrah induced an edge off Samarawickrama on the last delivery, but it bounced before settling into Dhawan's hands in the slips. NOT OUT! 41/1
5th over: Coslitiest over so far. Tharanga takes 10 runs off Bhuvneshwar, including two boundaries, to make the Lankan intent very apparent. They aren't going to back off. 30/1
4th over: Bumrah draws first blood! Gunathilaka (13) jumped out again but the bowler shortened the length. The end shot resulted in a chip to Rohit at mid-on. 19/1
3rd Over: Some excitement in that over as Rohit throws down the stumps direct, but the Lankan openers had completed the cheeky single in the nick of time, and next ball Gunathilaka comes out to whip Bhuvneshwar in a dancing pull shot for boundary. 14/0
1st Over: Gunathilaka's punched boundary through covers stands out in the first six balls of the match delivered by Bhuvneshwar. Tharanga yet to open his account. 5/0
PLAYING XIs
INDIA: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal
SRI LANKA: Danushka Gunathilaka, Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Asela Gunaratne, Thisara Perera (c), Sachith Pathirana, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep
TEAM UPDATE: Washington Sundar is unwell and has been replaced by chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the India XI. SL have made a change as well, bringing in Sadeera Samarawickrama to replace Lahiru Thirimanne.
#TeamIndia have won the toss and elected to bowl first. Just one change - Kuldeep Yadav back in place of Washington Sundar #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/Adx0EsKhvZ
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 17, 2017
TOSS UPDATE: India win the toss and decide to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the series-decider
Match Preview
An imposing line-up and an impeccable record in this port city make India the clear favourites as they seek to clinch another series win against Sri Lanka in the third and final One-day International on Sunday.
India have not lost a series at home since the defeat to South Africa in October 2015.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are seeking to win their first ever bilateral series in India, having lost eight and drawn one.
Skipper Rohit Sharma led the fightback for India in Mohali with a superb double century, his third in ODIs after the team had been outplayed in the series opener in Dharamsala. Sharma and his men will look to ride the momentum after a big win in the second game and seal the series at the ACA-VDCA stadium.
The Indian team has lost only once at the venue in the seven games played here (with one being washed out) and will hope to keep winning on what has generally been a high-scoring ground.
Defeat in Dharamsala meant India can't overtake South Africa in the ICC ODI rankings but a series win is at stake. Rohit & Co will look to maintain supremacy over the visiting Lankans, having won the Test series earlier.
The India captain will look to continue the good work and domination of the Lankan attack while the other batsmen will also hope to be among runs. After being shot out for 112 in Dharamshala, the host batting line-up regained its mojo as Rohit led from the front.
With Shikhar Dhawan chipping in with a half-century and the young Shreyas Iyer announcing himself on the big stage with a knock of 88 in the second ODI, the Indian batting seems to be back in form and would be expected to supply the runs in the series decider.
The top-order's performance could prove crucial for the home team if it has to continue its dominance.
Also, the middle-order comprising Dinesh Karthik and Manish Pandey will love to be among the runs as would Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hardik Pandya. It also looks like Ajinkya Rahane would remain on the sidelines unless the think-tank opts to pick him ahead of either Pandey or Karthik.
The bowlers have looked the part so far and will aim to continue the good work on what is likely to be a batsman-friendly wicket, going by the records.
And, the importance of bowling well in the first 10 overs can't be overemphasised and the lead bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah would be well aware of this as would Lanka's spearhead Suranga Lakmal.
The visitors, buoyed by news about the availability of ace all-rounder Angelo Mathews for the crucial game, will give it their all to snatch a much-needed series win, in what has been a tough year for them.
Mathews scored a ton, albeit in a losing cause in Mohali and will be the lynchpin of the batting unit, which is short on experience, as the squad aims to secure a rare series win in India.
The Lankans were brought crashing down to earth after a good win at Dharamsala as Rohit went on the rampage and their batsmen capitulated under the pressure of chasing a mammoth score. Mathews' return to form must be heartening news for them as is the fact that he is bowling some overs, and with a degree of success too.
Upul Tharanga, among the more experienced batsmen in the line-up, needs to step up and make a bigger contribution to the team's cause. The other batters including Lahiru Thirimanne, Danusha Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella, have been inconsistent and will have to find ways to make sizeable scores.
The bowers, on the other hand, will look to recover quickly from the horror show as Rohit turned on the heat. Nuwan Pradeep, who was taken for 106 in 10 overs, will look for redemption if he retains his place in the XI while Suranga Lakmal, the hero of the win at Dharamsala, holds the key for Lanka.
Spinners of both teams haven't had a great time in the ODIs and could be under pressure to keep the runs down in Visakhapatnam, where big scores have been the norm.
While India are unlikely to tinker with the XI that won in Mohali, the visiting side may consider bringing the pacy Dushmantha Chameera in place of Pradeep.
The last ODI played here against New Zealand saw India romp home to a big win.
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