India sealed the first series of the year after beating Sri Lanka by 78 runs on Friday in the third T20I in Pune. Batting first, the hosts posted a mammoth 201/6 in 20 overs, courtesy a brisk start from the openers Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul and a late surge from Shardul Thakur and Manish Pandey.
Rahul and Dhawan notched up a partnership of 97 for the first wicket. Dhawan was dismissed for 52 while Rahul went back in the dug out for 54.
India did lose momentum in the middle overs after quick fall of wickets but Kohli and Pandey did steady the ship for the home team. Pandey remained unbeaten on 31 off 18 balls while Kohli scored 26 off 17.
Later, Shardul Thakur chipped in with an 8-ball 22*. Sri Lanka then had a dismal start to the chase. They were reduced to 26/4 before Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva re-built the innings for the side. The duo put 68 for the fifth wicket but their efforts were not at all sufficient as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 123 in the 16th over.
Navdeep Saiani picked up a three-for while Thakur and Washington Sundar bagged a couple of wickets apiece.
