India clinched an excellent 3-wicket victory in the only Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka thanks to fiery performance from Pathan brothers, Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan, who shared a match winning unbeaten 59-run partnership for the 8th wicket. Batting first, Sri Lanka choose to bat first and scored a fighting total of 171 runs losing only 4 wickets. Captain Tilakaratne Dilshan scored highest 61 runs of Sri Lankan innings, while veteran opener Sanath Jayasuria played a fiery innings of 33 runs off 17 balls. Chamara Silva chipped in 21 runs in the end that guided Sri Lanka to reach a good total on the board.
India did not have a good start as they lost their in-from openers, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, for 14, but Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina added 67 runs for the third wicket, keeping the run rate above the required run rate. However, Sri Lankan spinners Malinga Bandara and Sanath Jayasuriya brought Sri Lanka in the match, picking up 5 Indian wickets for 34 runs in 42 balls. When Ravindra Jadeja got out for 5, India was left 115 for 7, needing 57 runs off 29 balls with three wickets in hands. That was the start of the journey for the Pathan brothers who snatched away the seemingly victory from Sri Lanka’s grip, adding 59 runs from 25 balls, ensuring India’s victory in the match. Yusuf Pathan scored a fiery innings of 22 off 10 balls with 2 sixes and a boundary, while his younger brother Irfan Pathan contributed 33 runs off 16 balls, hitting 2 sixes and 2 boundaries. Pathan brothers finished the match with 4 balls remaining in hands.
Yusuf Pathan was awarded the man of the match award for taking 2 wickets and chipping in 22 important runs for the visitors.
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