The explosive Suryakumar Yadav is known for delivering match-winning knocks with the bat. Nevertheless, at Pallekele on Tuesday in the third T20I against Sri Lanka, captain of the Indian team for the series took charge and bowled the last over to take the game into a Super Over.
Sri Lanka had done well in restricting India to 137/9. The hosts were 129/4, needing 9 runs off the last 2 overs when Rinku Singh was brought into attack by Suryakumar Yadav.
Rinku did a commendable job giving away just 3 runs and claiming two wickets in his penultimate over which left Sri Lanka with six runs to get from the final over of their innings with two new batsmen at crease.
Because of India’s slow over-rate, only four fielders were allowed outside the 30-yard circle and Mohammed Siraj got ready for bowling but SKY made a last minute change and he himself came on to bowl his right-arm off-breaks.
SKY started off bowling a dot ball and then claimed his maiden T20I wicket when Kamindu Mendis was caught by Rinku Singh on just his second delivery. Mendis tried to reverse-slog but ended up getting it only as far as Rinku Singh at third man who accepted an easy catch.
Suryakumar Yadav bowled Maheesh Theekshana down leg side and Sanju Samson took a first ball duck. The Indians referred to that decision, but ultra edge evidenced connections between glove-bat-hand finger respectively.
Asitha Fernando chose not to hit it for more than one run meaning just at least five more runs were required out of two balls remaining.
With two balls left in that over Wickramasinghe managed to pick up tow, making it three runs needed from one ball. The throw came to the bowler’s end from long-off and if SKY struck the stumps at his end, Asitha Fernando would have been run out, but he threw it to keeper where Wickramasinghe was in.
Wickramasinghe again took two off the last ball and again the throw from long-on reached at the bowler’s end. Unfortunately, Suryakumar failed to collect it cleanly allowing Fernando to reach with a dive as the match went into a Super Over.
The official broadcaster tweeted a video of that amazing over by Suryakumar Yadav that changed everything in this game.
Suryakumar Yadav only bowled one over in this entire match but what an over it turned out to be.
