Rahul, Dhawan help India post 201-6 in third T20
Pune, India, Jan 10 (AFP/APP): Attacking half-centuries from KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan helped India reach 201 for six in the third and final Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka on Friday.
Rahul, who made 54, and Dhawan, who hit 52, put on 97 runs for the opening wicket as India, who lead the three-match series 1-0 after their previous win and the opening rained-off match, put up a challenging total in Pune.
Left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan claimed three wickets including the openers but cameos from Manish Pandey and Shardul Thakur made India finish with a flourish, getting 63 runs from the last five overs.
Pandey, scoring 31 off 18 balls, and Thakur, with his eight-ball 22, put on 37 runs for the seventh wicket as the duo managed to get 19 runs off the last over.
Earlier the left-handed Dhawan was dropped on one by Dasun Shanaka at deep square leg off Angelo Mathews and made most of the spill as he recorded his 10th T20 fifty in just 34 balls.
Sandakan finally got Dhawan and struck twice in his next over to send back Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, for four, trudging back to the pavilion as India slipped to 122-4.
Skipper Virat Kohli, who dropped himself to number six in the batting order, then took the attack to the opposition bowlers with his 17-ball 26 before being run out while attempting a second run.
