Mumbai: After overpowering Sri Lanka to clinch the series 2-0, India will look to continue their winning streak and clean sweep the series in the third Twenty20 International (T20I) at the Wankhede Stadium here on Sunday.
On a triumphant run, India have been flamboyant in their approach to outclass Sri Lanka by 93 and 88 runs in the first and second encounters respectively. The hosts will hope to repeat the same form and outplay the visitors in the dead rubber.
Ranked fourth in the T20I rankings, India will bank on their fearless batting led by skipper Rohit Sharma and fellow opener Lokesh Rahul who have looked on top of their game.
Supporting them will be batsmen Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik who have the calibre to demolish the Sri Lanka which has failed to look up to the mark.
In the bowling department, pacer Jasprit Bumrah — who currently tops the T20I bowlers list — will spearhead the unit along side fellow new ball seamer Jaydev Unadkat.
However, wrist-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, who have caused plenty of trouble to Sri Lanka throughout the series, will once again remain the key to pick crucial wickets.
For Sri Lanka, experienced all-rounder Angelo Mathews has added to the worries for the side after being ruled out of the final rubber following a hamstring injury in the previous match.
The visitors will however hope top order batsmen Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga and Kusal Perera to play match winning knocks to salvage their side some pride and consolidate a victory before returning home.
The bowling, which has looked rather ineffective for Sri Lanka will need to re-form strategies with the likes of skipper Thisara Perera, Nuwan Pradeep and Akila Dananjaya to try and trouble the formidable India batting line-up.
Kuldeep, who scalped crucial three wickets to hand India a 88-run victory against Sri Lanka on Friday, said despite conceding runs, he was looking for wickets.
In his four overs, Kuldeep gave 52 runs but chipped in with three crucial wickets.
Kuldeep also said that Rohit and Dhoni helped him to get the wickets.
“First three overs, 45 runs, but I was always thinking about wickets. I knew if I got one, I would probably get the second one. The first over (I bowled) was slow in the air, but the wicket was good to bat on and the ball was coming on nicely. Later on I was bowling wide of the batsman,” Kuldeep said after the match.
“I realised that I need to bowl it into the wicket. They (Dhoni and Rohit) were backing me and telling to look for the wicket. Small ground with small boundaries, Dhoni and Rohit were telling me to keep away from the batsman and try the variations outside the off-stump. Seven wickets in three overs really changed the game,” he added.
