That brings us to the end of our coverage of the second T20I between India and Sri Lanka, with the Men in Blue yet another series on home soil! Rohit Sharma and Co will hope to make it 12 wins in a row tomorrow in the third and final game of the series while Sri Lanka will look for a consolation win. For now, this is Amit Banerjee signing off, wishing you all a good night!
Shreyas Iyer is the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 74
Shreyas: That’s my go-to movement. I’m able to sight the ball pretty well after that. The bowler was smarter though, he bowled a yorker and it swung, and I was lucky to survive. When I saw the recap, I was shocked literally, and it’s something I want to forget. It was really important for me to time the ball in that situation. We saw Ishan, he was charging on really well but unfortunately got out. I wasn’t really thinking about that. Was just thinking about the present situation and being honest about ourselves. Be in the present and not think much about the opposition.
Rohit Sharma, India captain: It was something pleasing for us to see. That has been happening consistently now for a period of time which is good to see, which is the middle order stepping up and finishing games. (On leaking too many runs in the death overs) Don’t want to be too harsh on the bowlers. These days can happen. We restricted them really well in the first 15 overs. Obviously something for us to understand how to bowl at the backend of the innings. Lot of these guys are talented. They just need an opportunity to go out and express themselves. (Shreyas and Jadeja) To finish the way they did in the end was really good. The kind of situation we are living in at the moment, we have to look after everyone, ensure everyone’s fresh physically and mentally. If we need to rotate and change, we’ll do it.
Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka captain: It started really well, but we should have done better in the powerplay. Another wicket in the powerplay would have been better for us. We had a plan before coming into the game. I think he (Kumara) could have bowled another over in the powerplay. The game was set for me in that period. The wicket was superb today, and I played to my strength. It’s another series loss, but there are a lot of positives.
After 17.1 overs,India 186/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 74 , Ravindra Jadeja 45)
FOUR! Jadeja finishes off in style with a boundary down the ground as Team India clinch yet another series and register their 11th consecutive victory in T20Is! This is as comprehensive a win as it can get, with Iyer and Jadeja guiding them home with seven wickets and 17 balls to spare!
After 17 overs,India 182/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 74 , Ravindra Jadeja 41)
Fernando keeps things tight early on in his final over, conceding three singles from the first four deliveries that also brings up the fifty stand for the fourth wicket, before Iyer plays a deft late cut to guide the ball past short third man for a boundary. India are left with just two to win at the end of this over.
After 16 overs,India 175/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 69 , Ravindra Jadeja 39)
Some poor fielding by Asalanka near the long on region costs Sri Lanka crucial runs, as Jadeja follows up a brace in the first ball with a six. The all-rounder then collects a hat-trick of boundaries to snuff out any remaining hopes of salvaging the series for the visitors. 22 from the over. India need just 9 to win from 4 overs.
After 15 overs,India 153/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 69 , Ravindra Jadeja 18)
Fernando also returns, replacing Kumara after the latter went for 23 in his previous over. Poor start for the seamer as he concedes a boundary to Jadeja along with a no ball. Jadeja then drills the ball down the ground in the free hit to make it back-to-back fours. Fernando attempts a short ball down leg, and ends up bowling a wide. Jadeja and Iyer then keep the scoreboard ticking with the ones and twos as 16 are added to the Indian total in this over. India need just 32 more to win from 30 balls with seven wickets in hand.
After 14 overs,India 136/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 66 , Ravindra Jadeja 6)
Karunaratne returns. Jadeja, meanwhile, is off the mark with a boundary first ball with a drive past extra cover. Eight from the over. India need another 48 in the last six overs.
After 13 overs,India 128/3 ( Shreyas Iyer 64 , )
FOUR! The ball races away to the long leg region after an inside edge off Samson’s bat, with Fernando fumbling while putting in a slide in front of the boundary rope. Samson then slaps a short-of-length ball down the ground for a flat six, his first shot of confidence this evening. An under pressure Kumara then concedes a wide off the third. Samson’s equally impressive in his inside out slog over cover in the next delivery, comfortably clearing the fence for his second six of the over. Samson swings his arms again in the penultimate delivery, once again clearing the straight boundary and this time looking even more at ease. OUT! Fernando grabs a one-handed stunner in the last ball after a thick bottom edge off Samson’s bat to bring the eventful third-wicket stand to an end. India need another 56 off 42 with seven wickets in hand.