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The third T20I match between India and Sri Lanka at Pallekele on Tuesday was a nail-biting affair that saw Suryakumar Yadav, known for his explosive batting, deliver a sensational bowling performance that turned the tide of the match and forced a Super Over. India, despite a below-par score of 137/9, managed to put pressure on the hosts, who were struggling at 129/4 with 9 runs needed off the last 2 overs. It was in this crucial juncture that Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian captain for the series, decided to bring himself into the attack to bowl his right-arm off-breaks.
With only four fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle due to India's slow over-rate, Surya's unexpected bowling spell turned out to be a masterstroke. After bowling a dot ball, he dismissed Kamindu Mendis for 18 with a slower delivery that landed straight into the hands of Rinku Singh at third man. In his next delivery, he had Maheesh Theekshana caught by Sanju Samson for a first ball duck. The UltraEdge confirmed the ball had brushed the glove, adding to the drama of the over.
Asitha Fernando, however, managed to take one run off the hat-trick ball, leaving Sri Lanka needing 5 runs off 2 balls. Chamindu Wickramasinghe then hit a boundary, bringing the equation down to 3 runs needed off 1 ball. The throw from long-off came to the bowler's end and had Suryakumar broken the stumps at his end, Asitha Fernando would have been run out. However, he threw the ball to the keeper where Wickramasinghe had made his ground. Wickramasinghe again took 2 runs off the last ball, making the score level and sending the match into a Super Over. In his solitary over, Surya Yadav had taken 2 wickets, conceded just 6 runs, and turned the match on its head with a bowling performance that will be remembered for a long time.
Source: Watch: How Suryakumar Yadav took the 3rd T20I against Sri Lanka into a Super Over