SK Play of the Day: Yuzvendra Chahal's three-wicket haul baffles the Sri Lankans
India's tour of Sri Lanka has been nothing short of a delight for Indian fans. Virat Kohli and his men have subjected the hosts to massive defeats on their home turf.
After having won the Test and the ODI series, India met the Islanders for a one-off T20. Rain delayed the encounter but could not prevent the match from commencing eventually.
India won the toss and decided to bowl first. Sri Lanka seemed to have a good start with Dilshan Munaweera's half-century. The celebrations had just begun in the Sri Lankan dressing room but Yuzvendra Chahal had different ideas.
He took three crucial wickets to dismantle the opposition. His first wicket came in the third ball of his first over and Angelo Mathews was the victim. Chahal delivered one slightly short tricking Mathews into coming forward. The ball then spun sharply and sneaked its way past the outside-edge and into the hands of MS Dhoni.
Dhoni then did what he does best. He crashed the ball into the wickets at lightning-quick speed. Neither the batsman nor the umpire was sure about the dismissal though. However, the Men in Blue looked confident and Dhoni's assurances were enough. All eyes moved towards the screen as they patiently waited for the decision of the third umpire.
The countless replays confirmed that the back foot of the batsman was still on the line when the stumps turned red.
'OUT' - the decision on the screen read. Team India celebrated while Mathews walked back in disappointment.
Chahal's second wicket was a befitting reply to the boundaries he had conceded in his previous few deliveries. It was the beginning of the 13th over. Thisara Perera had just walked in. The left-handed batsman looked set to face Chahal's raging deliveries. The first ball of the over fetched two runs for the Islanders and Perera kept strike. The second ball was sent flying over the boundary ropes and the scoreboard displayed a six.
Captain Kohli looked tense. Chahal had already conceded three boundaries in his previous over. He had to stem the flow of runs somehow.
He delivered the third ball. A short length delivery outside-off which tricked Perera into lifting his bat. The ball went past him and struck the stumps. Bowled!
Perera swung his bat in anger much like the cut he had attempted on that delivery whereas Chahal stood with his teammates, a measured smile on his face.
It was sweet revenge in the end.
The leg-spinner did not have to wait long for his third wicket. On the final ball of the same over, it was Dasun Shanuka who was tasked with playing him out. Chahal delivered the same delivery, along the same line with the same length. Shanuka misread the length of the ball and attempted to hit a six.
The ball straightened and hit the pad. An appeal for lbw was made and the Umpire raised his finger. Chahal had bagged his third wicket.
Post that wicket, the rest of the Sri Lankan batting line-up crumbled like a pack of cards as the Indian bowlers managed to wrap up Sri Lanka's innings for 170.
India will now look forward to ending their tour with a victory whereas Sri Lanka will try to save face and get their first win of the series.