Swashbuckling batters Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh turned starred with the ball to script India’s thrilling win over Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday (July 31).

Notably, the visitors were staring down the barrel as Sri Lanka needed just nine runs off the last 12 balls with six wickets in hand.

With the odds stacked against them, skipper Suryakumar threw the ball towards Rinku, who picked up a couple of wickets and conceded just three runs in the penultimate over.

In the final over, Surya decided to bowl himself when Sri Lanka required six runs with four wickets remaining. The captain held his nerve under pressure and managed to claim two wickets giving five runs to take the game into the Super Over, where India outplayed the hosts to clinch the series 3-0.

After the match, Suryakumar Yadav explained his decision to give the penultimate over to Rinku Singh even though pacer Mohammed Siraj had one over left while seam-bowling all-rounder Shivam Dube was another option at his disposal.

"The decision for the 20th over was easy; the difficult part was for the 19th over. Siraj and a few others had their overs left. But I felt Rinku was better suited for that wicket because I have seen him bowling and I made him practice a lot at the nets. I felt it was right and that is why I took that call," Surya said in an interview with Sony Sports.

Rinku justified his captain’s faith as he removed a well-set Kusal Perera (46 off 34) and Ramesh Mendis (3 off 6) with his right-arm spin.

"I knew the 19th over has always been difficult for Indian cricket (laughs). That is why I gave the responsibility to Rinku. For a right-hander bowling to a left-hander, it is always difficult for the batter. It was great that he made the best use of his skill and made my work easy because now I have one more bowling option going forward," the captain explained.

In the Super Over, Washington Sundar showed his brilliance with the ball for India as he dismissed Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka in just three balls conceding just two runs.

The tourists chased down the three-run target in the first ball itself as Suryakumar Yadav guided the ball towards fine leg for a boundary.