India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I highlights: Suryakumar's sublime century guides Pandya and Co. to series win at Rajkot

Suryakumar Yadav played a sublime knock of 112* off 51 balls to make sure India outclass Sri Lanka in the T20I series decider at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. The middle-order batter has been named the Player of the Match for his batting masterclass. "It's really important to put pressure on yourself when you are preparing for a game. If you do that in practice, it gets a little easier while playing the game. There is a lot of hard work involved but it's about doing quality practice sessions. You should know what your game is and prepare accordingly. Boundaries behind are like 50-60 meters, so I was targeting them," Suryakumar said after the match. 

"After the first match, I had a discussion with the coaches - on what pace and line to be bowling. (On Suryakumar Yadav) He's batting at a different level and I'm happy that I'm in the same team as him. Axar is a perfect package. It's tough to bowl to him as well as he's a clean hitter," spinner Chahal said after the match. 

What a comeback! The Indian pacer has cleaned up Madushanka to take his third wicket of the contest. Sri Lanka bowled out for 137 in 16.4 overs. A massive win for India as Pandya and Co. crush Sri Lanka by 91 runs in the 3rd T20 at Rajkot. 

The Indian pacer has bagged the crucial wicket of Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka in the 17th over. The star batter took the aerial route but he failed to clear the boundary. A brilliant catch by Axar Patel. Shanaka c Axar b Arshdeep Singh 23(17). India are on verge of a famous win. Sri Lanka need 93 runs in 22 balls. 

Oh, the sweet music of cartwheeling stumps! Umran Malik has cleaned up Theekshana with a beauty! A fiery delivery by the Jammu and Kashmir express pacer to get the better of the batter. Theekshana b Umran Malik 2(5). Kasun Rajitha is the next batter in for Sri Lanka. Umran has just 1 over left, he has taken two wickets so far in the contest. Rajitha has creamed two boundaries to end the over. 

Captain Hardik Pandya gets his man! A review taken by Sri Lanka after Pandya outfoxed Karunaratne in the 15th over. A clear gap between bat and pad. Ball tracking has handed three reds to confirm Karunaratne's departure. Pandya gets his 2nd wicket and Team India is in the driving seat at Rajkot. A two-ball duck for Karunaratne. Maheesh Theekshana has joined Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka. Sri Lanka need 104 runs in 30 balls. 

Power-hitter Hasaranga has struggled to get going with the bat in the T20I series. Stationed at mid-on, Deepak Hooda takes a sharp catch to hand Malik his first wicket of the match. SL 107-6 after 13 overs. 

OUT! Gill takes the catch and Chahal has his second wicket. A soft dismissal so to speak as Dhananjaya de Silva gives away his wicket in the 12th over. Chahal, who has a brace of wickets in the series decider, is on the cusp of surpassing Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Dhananjaya c Shubman Gill b Chahal 22(14). Wanindu Hasaranga has joined skipper Dasun Shanaka at the crease. Sri Lanka (101/5) need 128 runs in 48 balls. 

A leading edge on the second ball and Axar was close to taking the return catch. The ball eventually goes towards the man at long-off, single taken. Overall, another tidy over by Axar as he leaks just 3 runs. SL 94-4 after 11 overs. Sri Lanka need 135 runs in 54 balls. 

OUT! A fine running catch taken by Mavi as Yuzvendra Chahal strikes in his first over. Asalanka c Shivam Mavi b Chahal 19(14). Don't forget Chahal is eyeing a record-outing in the 3rd T20I against Sri Lanka. Mavi covered a lot of ground to make the catch look ridiculously easy! Time for drinks. Sri Lanka need 145 runs in 63 balls. 

A disastrous start by pace ace Umran Malik, who bowled a no-ball to give away a free hit to Asalanka. The speedster has leaked 15 runs in his 1st over. SL 73-3 after 8 overs. Axar will bowl the next over. 

You just can't keep Arshdeep Singh out of this contest. After taking his first wicket, the Indian pacer has taken the catch of Sri Lanka's Avishka Fernando, who departs in the 6th over. Avishka Fernando c Arshdeep Singh b Hardik Pandya 1(3). This is captain Pandya's first wicket of the contest. Sri Lanka need 173 runs in 80 balls. 

After spinner Axar Patel opened his account, captain Pandya brought back Arshdeep into the attack who delivered with the crucial scalp of Sri Lanka opener - Nissanka. Shivam Mavi takes the catch as Arshdeep bags his first wicket. Nissanka c Shivam Mavi b Arshdeep Singh 15(17). Sri Lanka (45/2) need 184 runs in 86 balls. 

A brilliant move by skipper Pandya. A leading edge goes to the third man and Umran Malik is safe as houses. A simple catch taken by the Indian pacer and Kusal Mendis departs. Kusal Mendis c Umran Malik b Axar 23(15). Sri Lanka need 185 runs in 91 balls.  

After being welcomed with a boundary on the first ball of his over, pacer Shivam Mavi made a brilliant comeback. He leaks 6 runs in his first over. Axar Patel has been brought into the attack in the powerplay. SL 37/0 after 4 overs. 

Tasked to chase down the gigantic total, openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis are keen on leading the batting charge of the visitors in the powerplay. Hardik Pandya has conceded 20 runs in his first 2 overs. Youngster Shivam Mavi has been brought into the attack by the hosts. SL 31-0 after 3 overs. 

Speed merchant Arshdeep Singh had a forgetful outing in the 2nd T20I against Sri Lanka. Arshdeep's costly spell paved the way for Sri Lanka to level the series 1-1 in Pune. Bowling the second over of the ongoing contest at Rajkot, pacer Arshdeep was welcomed with a boundary by Sri Lanka opener Nissanka. Arshdeep then bowled two wides and leaked a total of 11 runs in his first over. SL 17-0 after 2 overs. 

Opening the proceedings for India, captain Hardik Pandya thought he dismissed Pathum Nissanka on the first ball of the Sri Lankan innings. However, a successful review from Sri Lanka has forced umpire Nitin Menon to change his decision. Kusal Mendis gets a boundary on the fourth ball after Pandya bowled a wide. Six runs from the 1st over. SL 6-0 after 1 over. 

"I'm really happy with the way the innings went. Captain winning the toss and batting first showed faith in the batters, few shots are pre-determined, but these are the shots I've been playing over the last year and I'm not doing anything different. ​The 2022 form is gone, it's a fresh start in 2023 and I hope to continue doing well. It's a good pitch, nice bounce and a lush outfield," said Suryakumar, who scored his 3rd T20I ton in the series decider at Rajkot. 

A batting masterclass from Suryakumar Yadav as Hardik Pandya-led Team India registers a massive total in the third and final T20I of the bilateral series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. On-song Yadav remained unbeaten on 112 (51) while Axar Patel chipped in with a crucial 21 off 9 balls in the series decider at Rajkot. Sri Lanka need 229 runs in 20 overs to win the 3rd T20I and series at Rajkot. 

Suryakumar Yadav has smashed the second-fastest century in the shortest format of the game. The premier batter is also the first non-opening batter to score as many as three T20I centuries for Team India. IND 216-5 after 19 overs. 

Suryakumar Yadav takes a single on the final ball of the 18th over. And with that, 200 comes up for India with 12 balls left in the contest. Yadav will take the strike in the next over. He is 1 run away from a sublime ton. 

OUT! Another one bites the dust. Middle-order batter Hooda has been dismissed by Madushanka in the 17th over. Hooda c Hasaranga b Madushanka 4(2). Axar Patel has joined Suryakumar Yadav, who is five runs short of an incredible century. Sixteen runs leaked by Madushanka. IND 194-5 after 17 overs. 

Captain Hardik Pandya, who tried to up the ante in the death overs, has been removed by Dhananjaya b Rajitha in the 16th over. Suryakumar is on verge of scoring a century. He moves to 84 off 37 balls. IND 178-4 after 16 overs.