and that, belatedly, is that. Full-toss on the pads, and Dhoni miscues his flick, but it won't matter. Everyone on the leg side is in the circle, and it loops up over midwicket and lands safely beyond the fielder turning around and chasing back towards the boundary
Sri Lanka vs India, 3rd ODI at Kandy, Aug 27 2017 - Ball by Ball Commentary
10.55pm: That's it, then. India have wrapped up yet another bilateral ODI series win, and this was a convincing win in the end, after a bit of a wobble in tricky batting conditions. Plenty to look forward to still, in the last two ODIs, with India likely to make a few changes and try and few things. We'll bring you the fourth ODI live from the Premadasa on Thursday. Until then, good night!
Virat Kohli: "Small targets are always tricky. If it happens 2-3 times, it isn't an issue. We've chased small targets convincingly before. Here it was the case of the wicket being a little challenging. A couple of those wickets, you wouldn't get those wickets 8 out of 10 times. Rohit was outstanding, MS was great as well. These things happen, the [young] guys will learn in the middle order, we have to be patient with them. Bumrah's got 11 wickets in three games, he's bowled really well, he's among our top short-format bowlers at the moment. He hits the right areas, bowls at pace, and in the death overs he's like a fish in water. We have a squad of 15, we'll look to give some guys a go, see how their game stands up in different situations. We've won three, and we can definitely afford to give them a few opportunities."
Chamara Kapugedera: "I thought it was a good wicket, so put some score on the board and hopefully we can defend, and like the last game we hoped it would grip a bit in the evening. Things didn't go to our plans. We discussed about not playing dot balls in the middle overs, but things didn't work out. 260-275 would have been a challenging score. I enjoyed captaincy - it was pressure, but I enjoyed it, and hopefully we can win next time."
Jasprit Bumrah is the Player of the Match. "It's always good when you get a break [he was rested for India's tour of the West Indies]. You can work on your strengths and refresh when you come back. This was a different wicket. Last match it was a bit slow, but this time there was a bit of seam movement with the new ball. It's a good feeling, whenever you're able to contribute to the team's success."
10.36pm For the second match running, Sri Lanka's bowlers threatened to defend a low total. Vishwa Fernando and Akila Dananjaya bowled particularly well, and at one stage India were 61 for 4. But they couldn't get past Rohit Sharma, who scored his first ODI hundred in Sri Lanka, and that man MS Dhoni. They added an unbroken 157 for the fifth wicket, and have sealed another bilateral ODI series win for India.
One run to get, Dhoni on strike. How many times has he scored the winning runs? Here's Vishwa Fernando.
another slower ball, back of a length and outside off, and Dhoni opens his bat face to run it down to third man
back of a length, fourth-stump line, lets it come on and guides it down to third man
slower ball, back of a length on off stump, lets it come on and dabs gently into the point region
Just four to get now.
back of a length outside off, punched to the left of deep point, where Vishwa Fernando makes a tumbling stop
slower ball, wide of off, leans back and slashes to the left of third man
back of a length on off stump, lets it come on and nudges it to the right of midwicket to bring up the 150 partnership
Right. Here's Chameera to Dhoni.
10.30pm Play was held up for roughly 35 minutes. Now we're all set to resume. Rohit and Dhoni make their way back to the middle. The grass banks are littered with bottles and other bits and bobs, but no spectators. The crowds in the other stands are still in place, waiting to watch this till the end.
10.25pm Looks like the stands are being cleared, and they will resume the match once that is done. Andy Pycroft, the match referee, has just gone and had a word with the Sri Lankan dressing room. Again, I cannot be relied upon to tell you what he said.
Out come the umpires. India need eight to win. The players are making their way out to the middle again. Looks like they've just cleared the grass banks from which the bottles rained down. The spectators are still in their seats in the other stands, and they give the players a round of applause as they return.
10.20pm The players have gone off the field, and handshakes have been exchanged. Does this mean they've awarded the match to India? We'll have to wait and watch. Joel Wilson's having a word with Virat Kohli, but I'm no lip-reader and his back is to the camera.
10.15pm Pictures coming in from the ground. Still the players are waiting for the situation to clear up. Dhoni is lying face-down in the grass, and is enjoying a nap by all appearances. Whataguy.
10.05pm Still no resumption. Dhoni and Rohit are stretched out, lounging by the side of the pitch. The Sri Lankan players are in a huddle next to the umpires.
We're hearing that plastic bottles have been thrown from both embankment areas, and that as soon as the first wave of bottles was cleared, the throwing resumed.
Rohan: "This is ridiculous! Umpires are too book bound now and don't use their heads. Get the fielders in the circle, let the bowler lob 2 balls for big ones and be done with this. This match is only headed in one direction anyway."
Ramey: "@Prem - why go to 1996, recently it happened again against SA at Cuttack."
Richard: "While these are sad scenes, Dhoni and Rohit seem to be having a relaxed discussion about what to have for dinner/ what to do after the match."
Prem: "I still remember the dark night of 1996 when crowd in Calcutta disrupted. This just can't fade away. "
9.55pm Eight to get now. Safe to bet on Dhoni finishing with a couple of big ones. Chameera to bowl.
Oh no. This isn't good. A bit of bottle-throwing from beyond the extra-cover boundary, and it looks like play will be held up for a bit now. The stadium security is heading towards that stand to bring the situation under control.
Just like at the Olympics last year, PV Sindhu played one of the best matches of her career but ended up second best in the final of the World Championships. Our sister site espn.in tells you about all that transpired.
Akshay Karandik: "Who will be the MoM? Bumrah? Rohit Sharma? First fifer for just 27 runs for Bumrah... but great century by Rohit Sharma on difficult pitch. My Choice... umm share it"
down the track once more, clipped away through midwicket
down the track again, and this time he gets too close to the pitch of a flatter delivery and jabs back to the bowler
out of his crease, and out of the ground. Long-on is in place, but Dhoni doesn't care. Jumps out with his backlift high, clears his front leg, and easily clears the man on the boundary
tossed up full on middle stump, driven down to long-on
flat, angling down leg, and that's superb from Rohit, judged the line perfectly, opened up at the hips while sinking down to his back knee, and sweeping flat and hard past the square-leg umpire
length ball on middle stump, makes room and punches into the covers
short, a bit of width, and that's lovely from Dhoni. Leans back this time, and cuts late, to the left of backward point, and forces Malinga to run to his right from third man and pull off a football-style sliding stop at the boundary
slower length ball, fourth-stump line, watches it well and stabs towards backward point
length ball on off stump, shows the full face to push towards mid-on
slower length ball on off stump, defended to short extra-cover
short, wide, and Dhoni gets up on his toes and slashes it away, uppercutting deliberately and hitting it to the right of the man at backward point. What a way to bring up his fifty
shortish outside off, opens his bat face and guides it down to third man
Just 27 to go now. Here's Chameera.
nice length on off stump, slides on with the angle, big stretch out to defend into the covers