Iyer stars as India record 12th straight T20I win

Monday, 28 February 2022 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

India’s Shreyas Iyer (third from left) and Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka (left) shake hands after India's victory at the end of the second T20 international cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala yesterday – AFP

Sri Lanka’s captain Dasun Shanaka plays a shot during the second T20 international cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala yesterday - AFP

DHARAMSALA, AFP: Shreyas Iyer hit an unbeaten 73 to lead India to a record-equalling 12th successive Twenty20 international victory as they whitewashed Sri Lanka in the three-match series yesterday.

Chasing 147 for victory, India romped home with 19 balls to spare propelled by Iyer's third successive unbeaten half-century. They won by six wickets in the Himalayan hill town of Dharamsala.

India, who climbed to number one in world T20 rankings after their 3-0 sweep of West Indies earlier this month, have remained unbeaten since the loss to New Zealand in the World Cup last year.

India drew level with Afghanistan, who won 12 straight T20I matches between February 2018 to September 2019.

The bowlers set up the win, restricting Sri Lanka to 146 for five despite skipper Dasun Shanaka's unbeaten 74 off 38 deliveries.

In reply, India lost skipper Rohit Sharma, who became the most capped T20I player overtaking Pakistan's Shoaib Malik (124 matches), for five in the second over of the chase.

The in-form Iyer, who hit nine fours and one six in his 45-ball knock, then took charge to put on 48 runs with wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson who fell for 18.

Iyer, who stands unbeaten in the series after not out scores of 57 and 74 in the first two wins, kept up the pace to reach his 50 with a six off 29 deliveries.

Lahiru Kumara tooktwo wickets including Deepak Hooda for 21, but Iyer remained unstoppable in a 45-run unbeaten partnership with Ravindra Jadeja, who made 22.

Earlier Sri Lanka lost their top four batsmen for 29 runs after they elected to bat, but Shanaka hit back with nine fours and two sixes in his blitz.

Shanaka, who made 47 not out in his team's second loss, went past his T20I best of 54 to hammer the bowlers and put on an unbeaten stand of 86 with Chamika Karunaratne, who made 12.

Pace bowler Mohammed Siraj struck in the opening over as Danushka Gunathilaka dragged a short delivery onto to the stumps.

Then, Avesh Khan removed Pathum Nissanka, for one, and Charith Asalanka, for four, in his first two overs.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal and Shanaka attempted to rebuild in a 31-run fifth-wicket stand that was broken by medium-pace bowler Harshal Patel.

Patel sent back Chandimal for 25.

Shanaka stood firm to launch an attack as he reached his fifty with a boundary off Avesh.

The two teams now head to Mohali for the first of two Tests – Virat Kohli's 100th five-day game – starting Friday.