In a rain-affected match at Pallekele, Sri Lanka's batting faltered once again, allowing India to secure the series win with one game remaining.
India's Confident Chase
Sri Lanka initially showed promise, setting a revised target of 78 runs off 8 overs for India after rain disrupted the game. Despite a shaky start with, Sanju Samson getting out on the first ball post-rain break, India remained composed. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suryakumar Yadav led the charge, with Hardik Pandya ensuring the chase was completed comfortably with nine balls to spare. Captain Suryakumar Yadav emphasised that despite a new leadership, the team's dominant form in bilateral series continues.
Sri Lanka's Collapse
Sri Lanka's innings mirrored their struggles from the previous match, where they lost nine wickets for just 30 runs. After losing Kusal Mendis early, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera provided a strong start. However, without key bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, India's attack seemed vulnerable. Nevertheless, Pandya's crucial breakthroughs, dismissing both Nissanka and Perera in one over, turned the tide. Ravi Bishnoi then capitalised on the momentum, taking two wickets in consecutive balls, which led to a dramatic collapse of the Sri Lankan batting order.
Final Scores
Sri Lanka managed 161/9 in their 20 overs, with Perera scoring 53 and Nissanka 32. In response, India reached 81/3 in 6.3 overs, winning by the DLS method.