Third T20: India inch closer to series whitewash, restrict Lanka to 135/7

MUMBAI: Indian bowlers continued to torment the Sri Lankan batsmen as the hosts set themselves up for a series whitewash by restricting the visitors to a modest 135 for seven in the third and final Twenty20 cricket International, here today.

While the supremely confident Indian bowlers came out firing, Lankans many times appeared to be in the dilemma as if to attack or stay patient.

In a hurry to collect runs, they ended up playing poor lofted shots on good balls, resulting in tame dismissals.

Asela Gunaratne was the only batsman, who applied himself well and played a slow but crucial 36-run knock that took Sri Lanka past the 100-run mark.

Jaydev Unadkat, who generated a lot of pace in his first spell, was the most outstanding Indian bowler with figures of impressive 4-0-15-2.

His pace colleague though proved very expensive, leaking 45 runs from his four overs with 18 coming in the last over of the innings.

Debutant Washington Sundar (1/22) and Unadkat removed the top three batsmen in space of 11 balls to rattle the visitors.

The 18-year-old Sundar maintained a tight line and length and caught dangerous Kusal Perera (4) off his own bowling after Unadkat got rid of Niroshan Dickwella (1).

The Saurashtra paceman added wicket of Upul Tharanga (11) to his tally as the Lankan opener was guilty of playing a reckless shot considering the situation.

Sundar erred slightly in his length, allowing Gunaratne to pull the ball away towards mid-wicket for a much-needed boundary.

In a three-over spell, Sundar conceded 18 runs while Unadkat gave away only seven runs in his impressive two-over spell as Sri Lanka managed 37 runs in Powerplay.

Sadeera Samarawickrama (21) also did not last long and was dismissed by Hardik Pandya, who had struck him on the helmet before having him caught by Dinesh Karthik.

Gunaratne, though, kept calm and played sensibly getting some runs patiently even as Danushka Gunathilaka (3) became a victim of chinaman Kuldeep Yadav (1/26).

He struck one straight to Pandya in deep mid-wicket, leaving Sri Lanka struggling at 72 for five in the 12th over.

Captain Thisara Perera (11) in desperation, threw his bat at each and everything but after finding two boundaries off Mohammed Siraj, handed a simple catch to Rohit Sharma.

The first six of the innings was hit by Dasun Shanaka off Pandya in the last ball of the 16th over and also the last by him in the penultimate ball of the innings.

Shanaka remained unbeaten on 29.