India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I: Hosts sweep series 3-0 with five-wicket win

India achieved the below-par 136-run target in 19.2 overs to win at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

India's opening batsman Rohit Sharma

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INDIA INNINGS

20th over: INDIA WIN! Winning runs off Dhoni's bat, a boundary. India win by 5 wickets and sweep series 3-0. They are now also the No. 2 T20I team on ICC Rankings.

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19th over: No boundaries until five balls in the over, and then, BANG! SIX off Karthik's bat. Just 3 needed now off 6 balls.

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18th over: India, needing little more than run a ball, taking it closer with singles. Now 15 required off 12 balls. 121/5

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17th over: BOWLED! Manish Pandey (32) was looking brilliant until that Chameera ball which jagged back to clean him up. Dhoni walks in to roars of "M..S...D", and he responds with a cheekyk guide to fine third-man for a boundary. 116/5

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15th over: Two fours! 12 runs in the over! Then a wicket! Pandey (26*) targeted the cow's corner. The ball is getting wet now and difficult to grip for the bowler. Shanaka's length suffering as a result, lot shorter, and Pandey hammers him for two boundaries in the over. But the bowler bowls it short again and Pandya (4), on strike this time, tries an upper cut but edges it to the 'keeper. 99/4

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14th over: Run out, the most unfortunate way for Iyer (30). Manish Pandey hit a straight shot and bowler Dananjaya got a hand in his follow-through as the ball went on to hit the stumps with Iyer backing up too far. IND 87/3

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12th over: Iyer (27*) ends the dry spell with a straight six off Shanaka, much needed. India 72/2

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11th over: Last four overs have accrued just 22 runs, and India's required run-rate is above eight runs an over now. Iyer and Pandey need to put the long handle into service. 62/2

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9th over: Some testing overs for India. There's isn't much dew at present and the ball is moving off the seam appreciably. Iyer, especially, finding it tough at 10* off 20 balls. India 50/2

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7th over: Big wicket! Rohit (27) has been caught at deep mid-wicket as Shanaka's ball bounced more than expected and hit more towards the edge of the bat as Rohit attempted a pull shot. Nicely caught by Kusal Perera. This might lift the Lankans. IND 39/2

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6th over: Not the start India would have wanted in the Powerplay but Rohit (26* off 18) is on song as usual. Iyer (6*) has begun well. India 37/1

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4th over: India lost first wicket! KL Rahul (4) declared LBW against Chameera. He challenged the call with a review but it stayed with umpire's call. 17/1

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3rd over: Two watchful overs and India are away through Rohit Sharma, who first slog-swept Dananjaya for four and then hit him for a straight six. 17/0

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1st over: Rohit survives a scare. This time the extra bounce worked in the batsman's favour and the ball went over the stumps after Dananjaya found the gap between bat and pad. 3/0

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SRI LANKA INNINGS (135/7 in 20 overs)

20th over: Sri Lanka flex some muscles in the final over to reach 135/7. Two fours by Dananjaya (11*) and a six by Shanaka (29*) off the final over bowled by an expensive Mohammed Siraj (1/45) got the visitors much-needed runs but it still might not be enough. Pandya and Unadkat took two wickets apiece.

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18th over: Another wicket! The well-set Gunaratne (36) has been ejected by Pandya as Kuldeep takes the catch off a miscue. SL 113/7

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16th over: The Lankan innings isn't going anywhere, with Gunaratne (35*) the lone man fighting it out in the middle. But Shanaka (12*) broke the shackles off the last ball of Pandya's over with a smack six over long-off. Four overs left, 106/6.

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14th over: Kuldeep finishes his four-over spell with impressive figures of 1/26, almost had another one but the bounce saved Gunaratne (31*) on a review taken by Rohit for an LBW shout that was given not out. SL 91/6

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13th over: Gawn! Siraj strikes and is so relieved to see Rohit completing the catch in the ring to send back Thisara (11). Siraj a bit costly, but comes back in his second over with a wicket. His figures 1/22 in 2 overs. SL 85/6

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12th over: Wicket, and half of the SL team back in the hut! Gunathilaka (3) hit that sweeep well but straight down the neck of Pandya at deep-wicket. Kuldeep the bowler applauds the sharp catch. 74/5

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10th over: Gunaratne's (24*) crafty reverse-sweep for a boundary off Kuldeep was the highlight of that over, but Sri Lanka need a partnership from this pair, at least for the next five overs. Gunathilaka batting on 1*. SL 65/4

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9th over: Wicket No. 4! Sadeera (21) is walking back caught by Dinesh Karthik off Pandya after his step-out shot ended up in a simple catch at mid-on. 56/4  

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8th over: Pandya bowled the seventh over and Kuldeep was pressed into service in the next. A difficult catch dropped by Dhoni off Kuldeep as the ball bounced more than expected. Gunaratne (13*) gets a life. Sadeera on 20*. SL 53/3

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6th over: End of the Powerplay, belonged entirely to India with Sri Lanka's scorecard reading 37/3 as Mohammed Siraj completes his first over, replacing Unadkat. 

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4th over: Wicket again! Sri Lanka's top order is in disarray. Now Tharanga (11) holes out in the deep to Hardik Pandya. Unadkat has his second wicket. 19/3

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3rd over: Caught & bowled! Washington takes an easy return catch for his maiden wicket in the form of dangerous Kusal Perera (4). What a moment for the young man and disastrous start for the visitors. 14/2

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2nd over: OUT! Jaydev Unadkat frustrates Niroshan Dickwell (1) into playing a false shot. Came out after a couple of dot balls, the bowler shortened his length and the bounce did the rest as Siraj took the catch at mid-on. Brilliant over by the left-armer, three runs and a wicket. 9/1

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1st over: Washington Sundar begins the bowling with his off-spin. Surely, Rohit has caught the Lankan openers by surprise with this unexpected move after opting to field. Six runs off the over, including an inside-out boundary over extra-cover. 6/0

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PLAYING XIs:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, MS Dhoni (wk), Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj

Sri Lanka: Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Upul Tharanga, Kusal Perera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Asela Gunaratne, Dasun Shanaka, Thisara Perera (c), Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep

India really experimenting with their bowling. And backing young bowlers by playing without a 6th option. — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 24, 2017

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TOSS NEWS: India win the toss and Rohit Sharma says they will field first. Washington Sundar and Mohammad Siraj in for India, Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal rested.

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UPDATE: Washington Sundar to make his T20I debut.

Young Washington Sundar is all set to make his T20I debut in Wankhede #TeamIndia #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/QIZOSvwLe0 — BCCI (@BCCI) December 24, 2017

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TOSS: 6:30 pm IST

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MATCH PREVIEW:

With the series already in their pocket, India will look to give some of the bench players a chance but there will be no let-up in the intensity as they eye a complete whitewash against Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I in Mumbai on Sunday, which will also push the hosts up to No. 2 in the ICC Rankings for T20Is.

For the islanders, it has been a forgetful year and the two recent defeats against India have just added to their misery.

While the hosts thrashed Sri Lanka by 93 runs in the first match at Cuttack, they outclassed them by 88 runs in Indore to seal the series. The visitors also lost the ODIs 1-2 and drew a blank in the Test series before that. 

On the other hand, India have been cruising across all formats and would surely look to end a successful year with another thumping win ahead of a tough tour of South Africa where they play three Tests, six ODIs and three T20s. 

The constant one-sided results may not be an ideal preparation for India for the coming tour, but the positive thing is that in absence of seniors, including inspirational captain Virat Kohli, the youngsters have taken responsibility and delivered in the T20Is and ODIs.

Stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma, who equalled David Miller's record of the fastest ever T20 century during his 43-ball 118 in Indore, is in peak form and he would love to continue his good run at his home ground. 

Be it KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey or the experienced campaigner Mahendra Singh Dhoni, all have chipped in when needed and coach Ravi Shastri would expect them to fire again on Sunday. 

India promoted Dhoni up the order on Friday and the former captain justified the team's decision by scoring at a brisk pace. The same can be expected in Mumbai if the openers give a flying start.

This Indian batting line-up can destroy any bowling attack and Sri Lanka's toothless bowlers just provide them more opportunity to be devastating and ruthless. The credit for preparing good bench strength should be given to the Indian Premier League and the robust domestic circuit.

Wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, who starred last night too, have cemented their place by picking up regular wickets after their international debuts. The selectors would be seeing how Saurashtra pacer Jaydev Unadkat performs, as he can be an important cog in the scheme of things after veteran pacer Ashish Nehra called it a day.

Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah have already cemented their place in the team and a good game for them will boost their confidence ahead of a gruelling tour. But having won the series, the team management may decide to play some young guns like Basil Thampi, Washington Sundar and Deepak Hooda.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have been dealt a severe blow with Angelo Mathews ruled out due to a hamstring injury. In his absence, senior pros like Upul Tharanga will have to take responsibility and deliver. Kusal Perera's 37-ball 77 in the second T20I gave a huge boost to the team and he would look for another good innings.

Their bowlers too have failed to put up a spirited show and skipper Thisara Perera would like his men to at least give a fight and reverse the trend. All bowlers, including Nuwan Pradeep, Mathews and Thisara himself, have leaked plenty of runs and they need to pull up their socks to stop the Indian Juggernaut and come up with something special.

Overall, the Wankhede wicket has favoured the batsmen in the past but scores as high as 190 have been chased in T20 games here. Considering the form of Indian batsmen, spectators can see another run-feast.

An added incentive for India, if they win 3-0, will be No. 2 position in the ICC T20I Rankings.

India are at 119 points and a win will give them another point to equal West Indies and New Zealand at 120 on second position in the table. Pakistan lead the rankings with 124 points.