That's all from our side for tonight. We will be back on Sunday for the final game. See you then.
Kuldeep Yadav is the Player of the Match: I am happy with my performance. Since the last one year, I have been trying to back my strength and not think much. Whenever I get my chance, I just think about performing well. I am enjoying my bowling a lot. The team combination matters, so I just try to give my best whenever I get my chance. I bowl the faster in the IPL and T20Is also to give the batter one run. So I just did that here also. I have worked on my batting a lot of late. Same with the fitness. Whenever I get time, I go to the NCA. So thanks to the trainers there. That's one thing I have tried to do in the last one year. Earlier, I wasn't much into it. Chahal too gave me inputs about their batters.
Rohit Sharma: It was a close game but games like these teach you a lot. KL has been batting at 5 for a long time now, it gives you that confidence when an experienced batter is batting at 5. It was a good display of batsmanship. In the hindsight, it will be nice to have a left-hander in the top order but guys who are being given the chance have got a lot of runs in the last one year. Ideally, we would like to have a left-hander but we know the quality of our right-handers and are quite comfortable with that at the moment. We will have a look at the pitch for the third ODI, and another ODI series is coming up as well. So we will see if we need to make any changes. Kuldeep just comes and gets the breakthrough, he is quite confident as a bowler at the moment, which augurs well for the team.
Dasun Shanaka: We were in the game but didn't have not runs in the game. I think at the start we discussed about 280 but Kuldeep bowled well. We had a chance as the ball was moving. So I told my bowlers to stick to the basics.
Time for the presentation ceremony.
KL Rahul: I won't say it was a flat wicket, or it was doing a lot that it was impossible to bat. When Sri Lanka started, I thought it was a 280-300 wicket. But our bowlers bowled really well to keep them to 220-odd. But they put up a good fight, got early breakthroughs to put us under pressure. But I had a good partnership with Shreyas and Hardik. We always try to find a way to win, and it was nice to cross the line in the end. [On different approach against Hasaranga today] In Guwahati, the openers put the pressure on the opposition. Then your mindset is to attack, doesn't matter who is bowling. Today we lost early wickets, so it was important to soak the pressure. If we are chasing 280-300, then we would attack him. But today there was no need. The good thing about batting at No. 5 is you don't have to rush. You can take a shower, put your feet up and watch the game. But I always think what team needs of me. If you can read the situation when you go in, it helps you and team. Batting at No. 5 has helped me understand my game better. At No. 5 you have to face spin straightaway; I like ball coming onto the bat but Rohit has been pretty clear that he wants me to bat at No. 5, so that's what I am trying to do.
8.47pm A hard-fought win in the end, and India have sealed the series. Rohit Sharma is all smiles. The win was set up by the bowlers. Siraj picked up an early wicket before Kuldeep ran through the middle order. Umran and Siraj then took care of the lower order. Chasing 216, India didn't have a great start, they lost early wickets but despite that the run rate was never an issue. That allowed KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya to take their time. Hardik fell with the target still 55 runs away but Axar hit a couple of boundaries to ease the nerves. Rahul held his end, and in the end, Kuldeep, fittingly, hit the winning runs.
Kumara
END OF OVER:43 | 12 Runs | IND: 215/6 (1 run required from 42 balls, RR: 5.00, RRR: 0.14)
- KL Rahul64 (103b)
- Kuldeep Yadav6 (8b)
- Kasun Rajitha9-0-46-1
- Lahiru Kumara9-0-60-2
Only five needed now
Only 13 needed now
END OF OVER:42 | 6 Runs | IND: 203/6 (13 runs required from 48 balls, RR: 4.83, RRR: 1.62)
- Kuldeep Yadav6 (8b)
- KL Rahul52 (97b)
- Lahiru Kumara9-0-60-2
- Kasun Rajitha8-0-34-1
Kumara, around the wicket. A wide slip and a leg slip
END OF OVER:41 | 6 Runs | IND: 197/6 (19 runs required from 54 balls, RR: 4.80, RRR: 2.11)
- Kuldeep Yadav1 (5b)
- KL Rahul51 (94b)
- Kasun Rajitha8-0-34-1
- Dhananjaya de Silva3-0-9-1
Around the wicket with a slip in
Free hit once again
Rajitha is back
END OF OVER:40 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | IND: 191/6 (25 runs required from 60 balls, RR: 4.77, RRR: 2.50)
- Kuldeep Yadav0 (1b)
- KL Rahul49 (91b)
- Dhananjaya de Silva3-0-9-1
- Chamika Karunaratne8-0-51-2
Nikhil : "Kuldeep batted well in recent tests against Bangladesh so he is at 8. "
Kris: "@Nabeel Was just yesterday Mitchell Santner won a match with his allround performance"
Kuldeep now. A slip and leg slip in place
Lavish Bhateja: "@Nabeel, Jadeja said hi."
AR Patel c Karunaratne b de Silva 21 (28m 21b 1x4 1x6) SR: 100.00
Around the wicket
