IND vs SL 2022: 4 players on the verge of major milestones
In-form Team India take on Sri Lanka in the final match of the ongoing three-T20I series on Sunday, February 27, at Dharamsala. The home team defeated the visitors convincingly in the second match by seven wickets.
New all-format skipper Rohit Sharma has led the team brilliantly in the series. The Indian side have now won eight consecutive T20Is under his leadership. Overall, the Men in Blue have won 11 matches in a row with their last defeat in this format coming against New Zealand in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka put up a spectacular showing with the bat in the second match, but their fielding and bowling let them down. Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja's partnership sealed the deal for the home team. Iyer scored 74 off 44 whereas Jadeja's 45 off 18 deliveries was the show-stopper.
Dasun Shanaka's side will look to end this series with at least one win to show for while Team India will want to maintain their winning streak.
On that note, let's take a look at four players who can cross some major milestones in the third and final T20I.
#1 Rohit 18 short of completing 1000 T20I runs as skipper
Rohit Sharma has been more than effective in the shortest format as a skipper. Apart from leading his IPL team to the title five times, Sharma has also been successful in the international arena.
He currently needs just 18 runs to complete 1000 T20I runs as captain of the Indian team. Moreover, in yesterday's game, he achieved his 50th T20I catch by dismissing Dinesh Chandimal.
Rohit now holds the most wins as captain at home, beating Eoin Morgan and Kane Williamson after yesterday's win. Given his tactics and the form he is in, it is quite likely that Rohit will gather 1000 runs as captain tonight.
#2 Jadeja needs two wickets to get to 50 T20I scalps
Ravindra Jadeja's brilliant performance with the bat in the 2nd T20I not only helped India cross the line but also proved his importance to the side. Though he only took one wicket in the game, it was of the well-set Danushka Gunathilaka.
Jadeja has been a crucial wicket-taker for India across all three formats over the years and needs just two more scalps to reach 50 wickets in the T20Is.
With him now back in the side, India's chances of winning the last T20I go up.
#3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs four wickets to become the third-highest wicket-taker for India in T20Is
Bhuvneshwar Kumar went for 36 runs in his spell in the second T20I but sent the well-set Pathum Nissanka back to the pavilion that changed the game.
Kumar has been a great asset for team India across formats and has produced some wonderful spells over the years.
The pacer now has 58 T20I wickets to his name and needs just four scalps to overtake Ravichandran Ashwin (61) and become the third-highest wicket-taker for India in the shortest format.
#4 Dushmantha Chameera four wickets short of 50 T20I scalps
Though Dushmantha Chameera leaked quite a lot of runs in yesterday's game (39 runs in 3.1 overs), he dismissed Rohit Sharma early on with a brilliant delivery.
In 46 T20 internationals so far, he has picked up 46 wickets at an economy rate of 7.9, and needs just four more wickets to complete 50 T20I scalps.
With one game remaining in the series, Chameera will have to produce some quality bowling to get to this personal landmark and help his side take away a win.