INDIA VS SRI LANKA, 4TH T20I, NIDAHAS TROPHY CRICKET SCORE LIVE UPDATES: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of 4th T20I cricket match of the Nidahas Trophy tri-series between India and Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. You can catch all the live score, cricket match updates, and ball-by-ball commentary through our live blog here. India won the toss and elected to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the 4th match of the Nidahas Trophy. The match has been reduced to a 19-overs-a-side affair after over an hour was lost due to rain. India finally brought in KL Rahul their playing eleven. Young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is set to miss this match. Sri Lanka included Suranga Lakmal in their line-up, while Thisara Perera will lead the home team in Dinesh Chandimal's absence. After suffering a five-wicket defeat to hosts Sri Lanka in the Nidahas Trophy opener, Rohit Sharma-led India will be eager to avenge past humiliation when they take on the Islanders in the fourth match of the tri-series in Colombo today. So far in the Nidahas Trophy, all three teams -- India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh -- have won one match each. Today's match will help the winner claim the top position in the points table of the tri-series. Can Sri Lanka repeat what they did in the Nidahas Trophy opener of will India avenge past humiliation? Stay tuned for the live action. Get all the latest cricket scores from Nidahas Trophy 2018 here. (LIVE SCORECARD) (LIVE STREAMING)
LIVE CRICKET SCORE INDIA VS SRI LANKA, NIDAHAS TROPHY, 4TH T20I
21.17 IST: OUT! Shankar removes Tharanga for 22. Sri Lanka 96/3 in 10.4 overs vs India in Colombo.
21.12 IST: Kusal Mendis concludes the 10th over with a SIX! THAT'S HUUUUUGGGEEEEE!!!! The boy is on fire tonight. Leaving nothing to chance, smashing everything so well. Short ball, Mendis moves across and swings hard. Hits it high into the night sky and then deep into the square leg stands. The man in the deep can only watch that go away. SL 94/2 in 10 overs.
21.08 IST: Jaydev Unadkat is brought back into the attack. India need a wicket, he could just be the man to provide that.
21.05 IST: FOUR! A juicy full toss outside off, Upul Tharanga accepts the freebie with delight as he smacks it over the covers. Beats the man in the deep, picks up a good boundary.
21.00 IST: Chahal give flight to the ball and Kusal Mendis makes the best out of it. Poor length and Kusal Mendis has punished that! Half-tracker on the stumps, Mendis uses the depth of the crease well before positioning himself for the big pull. Right off the meat, it goes sailing into the mid-wicket stands. SL 75/2 in 7.5 overs.
20.57 IST: SIX! Tharanga slams it elegantly between the mid-wicket and long-on. Massive hit! Chahal gives this some decent flight and it's quite slow through the air, Tharanga clears his front leg and breaks the shackles with a big swing over the long on boundary. Needed that, can probably help him to cut loose now.
20.55 IST: Vijay Shankar to Kusal Mendis, 1 run. Back of a length delivery well outside off, Kusal Mendis goes a long way across before mistiming the scoop behind square on the leg side for a run. SL 58/2 in 7 overs.
20.50 IST: FOUR! Nicely done. Mendis picks up the length early, kneels forward and across before lifting the sweep over backward square leg for a boundary. Picked his spot and executed the shot to perfection. The 50 comes up for Sri Lanka, which interestingly, is their slowest in this tournament so far.
20.45 IST: After 5 overs, Sri Lanka are 46/2. Yuzvendra Chahal to Kusal Mendis, 1 run. Just behind a driving length, on the stumps, sweeped away towards square leg for one run.
20.43 IST: FOUR! Finds the gap this time. Short ball and this time Mendis pulls it wide of the mid on fielder for a boundary.
20.39 IST: Upul Tharanga is the next batsman in.
20.38 IST: OUT! Sundar removes Kusal Perera for 3. Kusal Perera is gone. This is a big wicket for the Indians. Sundar from around the wicket bowls it full, Perera kneels down to reverse sweep but gets it off the back pad back onto the stumps. He's shocked at that sight, while the Indians rejoice. Credit to Washington here, he's comeback well. Got hit for a six the first ball of his last over, picks up a wicket this time around. Sri Lanka 34/2 in 3.1 overs vs India in Colombo.
20.33 IST: Kusal Perera walks in at No.3. He's been in magnificent form, was in prime touch against India in their first game. Will he replicate something similar this evening?
20.32 IST: OUT! Thakur removes Gunathilaka for 17. MAGNIFICENT CATCH FROM SURESH RAINA! Absolute blinder. Oh wow. The replays won't justify just how hard that was hit. Unbelievable stuff. It's on a back of a length on middle and off, Gunathilaka rocks back and looks to blast the pull over mid-wicket. Not much elevation on this though. Raina moves to his left and dives full stretch as the ball sticks in his hand. Superb. Thakur is happy and relieved at the same time, he knows his mat has bailed him out. Early breakthrough for India. Sri Lanka 25/1 in 2.1 overs vs India in Colombo.
20.28 IST: Gunathilaka greets the young pacer with a SIX! Welcome, young Sundar! Gunathilaka greets him with a hammering blow. From around the wicket, it's tossed right up there. The left-hander backs away and bangs it straight back down for a flat biggie.
20.27 IST: Washington Sundar will bowl from the other end.
20.25 IST: An expensive over by Jaydev Unadkat. Jaydev Unadkat to Danushka Gunathilaka, 1 run. Quick single to end a good over for the Lankans. 15 runs off it. It's tapped towards mid on and both batsmen quickly cross over. SL 15/0 after the first over.
20.23 IST: SIX! Kusal Mendis gives Sri Lanka a flying start. What a hit! Took one hand off it while playing that but that still went a long way. It's dropped fuller in length, Kusal Mendis lofts it high and handsome over covers for a maximum.
20.21 IST: OVERTHROW! Sri Lanka get some bonus runs here. Jaydev Unadkat to Danushka Gunathilaka, FIVE OVERTHROWS! Drama right off the bat... literally. Unadkat lands it on a length on off and gets it to shape away. Gunathilaka taps it down in front of point with an open face and both batsmen go for the run. Rahul comes to the ball and has a shy at the striker's end, but it goes off Mendis' bat and away to the fine leg boundary.
20.18 IST: Sri Lanka Playing XI: Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera (wk), Upul Tharanga, Dasun Shanaka, Thisara Perera(C), Jeevan Mendis, Akila Dananjaya, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
20.16 IST: "It looks like a good batting track. We would like to put runs on the board. Our batters are doing well, our bowlers couldn't execute plans in the last game. We have learnt our mistakes. Normally, we are a good bowling line-up, hopefully we can do some change," Thisara Perera says after the toss.
20.14 IST: India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Lokesh Rahul, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Vijay Shankar, Washington Sundar, Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal
20.10 IST: "There has been some rain around and we wanted to have a score in front of us. We have seen in this tournament that the wicket seems to get better. It was a high-scoring game (Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh) and that proves wicket will get better. We have done that well. Another opportunity for us to showcase our talent. We spoke at length (about plans against Sri Lankan bowlers), we have understood their strength and weaknesses. Hopefully, we can execute today," says Rohit Sharma after winning the toss.
20.06 IST: India win toss, opt to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the rain-delayed 19-over match. KL Rahul comes in for India.
Toss time - #TeamIndia have won the toss and will field first. Game has been reduced to 19overs. One change for India - @klrahul11 in place of @RishabPant777 pic.twitter.com/llpmajWEhn
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 12, 2018
19.58 IST: UPDATE! Toss has been scheduled at 8.05pm and the match will begin at 8.20pm.
It's all clear now and we will have a game. Toss to take place at 8:05PM and start of play at 8:20PM #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/6fv2wosqNj
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 12, 2018
19.53 IST: The main cover goes off at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. The groundstaff's preparations have started. Is the toss coming in next few minutes?
The main cover goes off, ground preparations started.. #HeroNidahasTrophy #SLvIND
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) March 12, 2018
19.49 IST: "Covers are coming off, it seems drizzle has stopped," confirms Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
Covers are coming off, it seems drizzle has stopped. #HeroNidahasTrophy #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/zRZbs4W1Na
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) March 12, 2018
19.45 IST: Some covers are being removed as the rain gets lighter.
19.35 IST: Now, we have started losing overs. The cut-off time is 21.35 pm IST.
19.15 IST: The rain gets heavier in Colombo. More covers are coming.
18.54 IST: "The drizzle has got slightly heavy. And the covers are coming back on. Toss and start of play delayed," confirms BCCI.
The drizzle has got slightly heavy. And the covers are coming back on. Toss and start of play delayed. Stay tuned for further updates #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/FjA1YjR1yw
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 12, 2018
18.50 IST: Russell Arnold on air says it should be a passing shower. It doesn't seem though.
18.46 IST: Meanwhile, Sri Lankan cricket team is being led by Thisara Perera as the International Cricket Council (ICC) handed regular skipper Dinesh Chandimal a two-match suspension for over-rate offense. (Read full story)
Thisara Perera have been appointed to captain the Sri Lanka team in the next two games in the ongoing #HeroNidahasTrophy, following the ICC’s decision to suspend Captain Dinesh Chandimal for two games for an over-rate offence.
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) March 11, 2018
18.42 IST: Rain returns in Colombo. The groundstaff puts the covers back. It's not a heavy shower though.
18.34 IST: "Tentative toss time - 6:45 PM and start of play by 7:15 PM," says BCCI.
The players are out on the field with the Umpires inspecting the field of play. Tentative toss time - 6:45PM and start of play by 7:15PM #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/0Iv5EDAPdM
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 12, 2018
18.28 IST: India's coaching staff, comprising Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun, takes a close look at the Colombo wicket.
18.24 IST: Good News! The covers are coming off now.
18.18 IST: It's drizzling in Sri Lanka. Toss set to be delayed. "Everybody looking skywards at the moment. It's become slightly gloomy here with the drizzle getting a tinge heavier," says BCCI.
Everybody looking skywards at the moment. It's become slightly gloomy here with the drizzle getting a tinge heavier #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/TekXfpZ2d6
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 12, 2018
18.15 IST: R Premadasa stadium is under wraps at the moment.
Under a slight cloud cover and under wraps at the moment the R Premadasa stadium. Stay tuned for further updates as we await a weather check #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/8TQrCJhAjB
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 12, 2018
18.12 IST: Here are the squads for the Nidahas Trophy 4th T20I.
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wk)
Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Suranga Lakmal (vc), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Dhananjaya De Silva
18.05 IST: Leading the Indian cricket team, stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma will be desperate to get back to form when India take on hosts Sri Lanka in the fourth match of the Nidahas Tri-Series in Colombo on Monday. Rohit, termed as the most prolific white ball player after regular leader Virat Kohli, has gone off the boil since the start of the South Africa series. He will like to score heavily to get his confidence back as he frets on whether he could give Rishabh Pant another game in the tournament. (Read full match preview)
