Dambulla, June 27: Skipper Chamari Athapaththu struck a counter-attacking 48-ball 80 as Sri Lanka outplayed India by seven wickets in the third and final T20I to avoid a whitewash here on Monday.
The 32-year-old Chamari smashed 14 boundaries and one six and in the process became the only cricketer from the island nation to get to the 2000-run mark in T20Is. Tillakaratne Dilshan (1889) is the highest run-scorer among the male cricketers from Sri Lanka.
Chasing a modest 139 to avoid a clean sweep by the Indians, Sri Lanka’s batting finally came good as the hosts hunted down the target with three overs to spare.
The three-match T20I series thus ended 2-1 in favour of India, who stuttered after opting to bat before skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s resilient 39 not out (33b; 3×4, 1×6) propped up their total to 138 for five.
In reply, Sri Lanka lost Vishmi Gunaratne (5) in the first over, but Harshitha Samarawickrama (13) gave support to Chamari before being dismissed by Radha Yadav in the fifth over.
Thereafter, Nilakshi de Silva (30 off 28 balls) joined hands with Chamari as the skipper cruised to a 29-ball fifty – the fastest fifty for Sri Lanka women’s T20I.
Earlier, India stuttered in the middle overs after Smriti Mandhana (22) and Sabbhineni Meghana (22) departed in successive overs to leave the visitors reeling at 51 for three. (PTI)
