Kohli smashes 82 as India complete 9-0 sweep

Colombo, September 6 

Skipper Virat Kohli’s blazing blade ensured a comfortable seven-wicket win for India in the lone T20 game against Sri Lanka here tonight. 

Chasing a competitive 171 for a win, Kohli led from the front with a fluent 82 off 54 deliveries, while Manish Pandey remained unbeaten on a career-best 51 to guide India home with four balls to spare. They put on 119 runs off 78 balls for the third wicket as the visitors completed a clean sweep on this tour, having won the Test series 3-0 and the ODI series 5-0.

Earlier, Dilshan Munaweera smashed his maiden half-century while debutant Ashan Priyanjan played a useful hand to guide Sri Lanka to a respectable 170/7. 

Munaweera scored a quickfire 53 off 29 balls with the help of five boundaries and four hits over the fence to keep the Lankan innings moving at a fast clip. He was ably supported by Priyanjan, who scored a run-a-ball unbeaten 40. For India, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was the pick of the bowlers with 3/43 from his four overs, while chinaman Kuldeep Yadav scalped 2/20.  

India’s chase began on a wrong note as Rohit Sharma (9) fell in the third over, top-edging a Lasith Malinga delivery. Kohli and KL Rahul then added 20 runs before the latter was dismissed against the run of play with Dasun Shanaka taking a brilliant diving catch at cover off Seekkuge Prasanna (1/25) in the sixth over. — PTI