The West Indies Women are in the semi-finals of the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup after Lady Luck worked in their favour on Saturday night.

The West Indies Women, on seven points from their seven games, following no-result against South Africa on Wednesday, March 23, needed either Bangladesh to defeat England or South Africa to defeat India for them to advance.

England crushed Bangladesh by 100 runs earlier Saturday, which meant that the West Indies Women were dependent on a positive result from the South Africa versus India encounter.

The situation looked grim when India posted 274-7 in their 50 overs thanks to half centuries of 71 from Smriti Mandhana, 53 from Shafali Verma, 68 from Captain Mithali Raj as well as Harmanpreet Kaur's 48.

However, Laura Woolvardt smashed 80, Laura Goodall scored 49 and Mignon du Preez an unbeaten 52 as South Africa scored 275-7, the winning run coming off the last ball of the match.

The South African victory set off wild celebrations among the West Indies Women, whose members had gathered to watch the match.

They will now face unbeaten Australia in the semi-final on Tuesday.

Ricky Ponting thinks Rishabh Pant can follow the same path as Rohit Sharma and go on to captain India after becoming an inspirational leader in the Indian Premier League.

Pant was appointed Delhi Capitals skipper ahead of the 2021 IPL with Shreyas Iyer impacted by a shoulder injury.

The India wicketkeeper-batsman retained the role on a permanent basis and will come up against Rohit when Delhi start their IPL campaign with a showdown against Mumbai on Sunday.

Capitals coach Ponting championed Rohit to be installed as Indians skipper during the former Australia captain's time with that franchise and the batter has proved to be an impressive leader - lifting the IPL trophy five times.

Rohit has also taken over from Virat Kohli as India captain and Ponting believes Pant, 24, has the credentials to have that honour.

Ponting said: "I hadn't thought about that actually but they [Pant and Rohit] are actually quite similar.

"When Rohit took over at Mumbai, he was quite a young man as well, and had started out in his international cricket.

"He was probably very similar, I'm not sure how old he was but he would have been 23-24, similar to what Rishabh is here at the Delhi Capitals.

"To tell you honestly, they're quite similar people. I know they are great mates and they talk all the time and they're probably exchanging things about leadership and captaincy along the way as well.

"Rohit probably doesn't want to give too many secrets away because we're going to play against him in a couple of days' time. I think there's every opportunity for Rishabh's journey to be similar to Rohit Sharma's.

"He's a young captain of a successful franchise and growing on a daily basis and hopefully Rishabh can have the same sort of success Rohit's had at the Mumbai Indians.

"And then with some experience in a role like this in a high-pressure tournament like the IPL, I've got no doubt in the years to come there's every chance that Rishabh could be an international captain. No doubt about it."

Brian Lara is one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket with feats that many who play the game can only dream of.

The world record holder for the highest individual scores in both Test cricket (400 not out) and First-Class cricket (501 not out) has also been gracious enough to lend his knowledge of the game to the current crop of players and has been appointed as the batting coach for the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.

One of his pupils will be his Trinidadian countryman and fellow stylish left-hander Nicholas Pooran, a prospect the current West Indies T20 vice-captain is excited about.

“Yeah, we have had a couple of conversations in the recent past. He's simply superb, amazing when it comes to batting and how he views the game. So yeah, looking forward to that opportunity to work with him,” Pooran said in an interview with ESPNCricinfo.

The West Indian great Lara scored 11,953 runs in Test cricket with 34 hundreds at an average of 52.88 in 131 matches. He scored 10,405 runs in 299 ODIs with 19 hundreds at an average of 40.48.

The 2022 edition of the IPL kicks off on March 26^th while Pooran and Lara’s Sunrisers have their first game on March 29^th against the Rajasthan Royals.

Pooran is coming off scores of 61, 62 and 61 in the three T20 Internationals against India last month and if his current form is anything to go by, he should have a stellar IPL season. The input of Brian Lara should certainly help.

West Indies Women Head Coach Courtney Walsh said he and his team have to move on quickly from the shellacking they took from India on Saturday as they are about to face Australia, perhaps their toughest opponent, on Tuesday (Monday night Caribbean time).

He also revealed that there are concerns about the fitness of opener Deandra Dottin, who suffered an injury in the match against India but remained hopeful she will be fit to face Australia.

It was a disappointed Walsh that faced the media on Monday when he conceded that the West Indies Women did not play well against India.

“We had one really bad game against India. I think India did pretty well against us and it’s something that we have to look at,” Walsh said, adding that India should not have scored as many as the 317-8 they put on the board before bowling the West Indies Women out for 162.

“It was not a 320 pitch I think; when I looked at it. I thought if we could restrict them to 270-250. We didn’t execute as well as we could have or should have.”

In reply, the West Indies Women got off to a good start reaching 100-0 in the 13^th over before everything went off the rails.

“It was a decent batting track, I thought, at the start of it and they did make full use of it. They’ve got a little bit more turn as the game went on. But that doesn’t make it any issue is we just executed poorly (sic)," Walsh said.

"The team knows that once you play well enough, we can beat any team, so we are hopeful we are going to play good cricket [on Tuesday]."

Ravichandran Ashwin made ICC World Test Championship history as India wrapped up a series win over Sri Lanka with victory inside three days in Bengaluru.

Sri Lanka resumed play on Monday on 28-1 with the mountainous task of chasing down a target of 447, having been bowled out for 109 in their first innings in the day-night Test.

Dimuth Karunaratne (107) did at least give the tourists something to cheer as the skipper recorded a 14th Test century.

Yet his efforts were in vain as Sri Lanka crumbled to 208 all out, Ashwin taking four wickets to become the first bowler in Test Championship history to 100 as India claimed a 238-run success.

Kusal Mendis (54) was the sole batsman to provide Karunaratne with anything resembling significant support.

However, any hope of Sri Lanka even surviving the day went with Mendis when his partnership with Karunaratne was ended on 97 after being stumped by Rishabh Pant off Ashwin.

Only one other Sri Lanka batter, Niroshan Dickwella (12), reached double figures in the innings, Ashwin fittingly taking the final wicket when Vishwa Fernando top-edged him to Mohammed Shami.

Captain Rohit Sharma said of Ashwin: "It was personally my feeling [that he is an all-time great].

"Whenever we give him the ball, he comes up with match-winning performances. He's got a lot of years left in him. We have lots of occasions to look forward to."

Another stellar series for Ashwin

Ashwin's landmark performance also saw him finish with the most wickets (12) in the short series, in which he also bowled the most maiden overs (16).

Sri Lanka sorry with the bat

Sri Lanka's second-innings performance marked the first time in the series they surpassed 200, summing up their dismal form with the bat.

Rishabh Pant scored a record-breaking half-century and Jasprit Bumrah did more damage as India totally dominated day two of the second Test at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Bumrah (5-24) claimed his first five-wicket Test haul on home soil as India took only 35 balls to reduce the tourists from 86-6 to 109 all out in the opening session in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma's home side then made 303-9 declared in their second innings of the day-night Test, setting Sri Lanka a highly improbable 447 to draw the series.

Pant (50) bludgeoned a 28-ball half-century - the fastest of all time for India in the longest format - and Shreyas Iyer (67) scored his second fifty of the match, with Rohit striking 46 at the top of the order.

Sri Lanka were 28-1 at stumps after Bumrah removed Lahiru Thirimanne without scoring with the pink ball under the lights as India closed in on a 2-0 whitewash.

Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-30) wasted no time in wrapping up the tourists' first innings at the start of the day, after they resumed in big trouble in reply to India's 252 all out.

Mayank Agarwal (22) then missed out again with the bat for India, but captain Rohit and Hanuma Vihari (35) put on 56 for the second wicket.

It was Pant who produced the fireworks, taking the Sri Lanka attack to all parts, with Virat Kohli (13) falling to Praveen Jayawickrama (4-78) and Ravindra Jadeja bowled by Vishwa Fernando for 22 as India were in a rush to pile on the runs.

Jayawickrama, who was able to return to the field after limping off, had Pant caught and bowled and Iyer ticked along nicely before Lasith Embuldeniya (3-87) trapped him leg before.

Thirimanne fell to Bumrah in the first over of Sri Lanka's second innings after Rohit declared, but Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis prevented further damage from being done.

Home comforts for brilliant Bumrah

Bumrah had struck three times on day one to put Sri Lanka in the mire and the paceman finally claimed a maiden five-wicket Test haul in his homeland on Sunday.

The relentless quick had taken five wickets seven times on tour and added the eighth such harvest of his career by getting Embuldeniya and Niroshan Dickwella caught behind.

Bumrah later struck again by generating sharp swing to see the back of Thirimanne.

Pant cuts loose

The stage was set for wicketkeeper-batsman Pant to cut loose, and he did not disappoint the India fans.

The explosive left-hander struck two sixes and seven fours as he broke a record that was held by the great Kapil Dev, who blasted a 30-ball half-century against Pakistan back in 1982.

Iyer gave another exhibition of his class in the middle order in an 87-ball knock.

Shreyas Iyer came to India's rescue before Sri Lanka crumbled to 86-6 an eventful opening day of the second Test at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

India were struggling on 148-6 after Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in the day-night match in Bengaluru.

Iyer made a brilliant 92 in tough batting conditions to get his side up to 252 all out as they eye a 2-0 whitewash, Lasith Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama taking three wickets apiece.

The tourists then slumped to 28-4 in reply and remained in deep trouble at stumps on a pitch that offered plenty of turn from the start, along with variable bounce.

It was Jasprit Bumrah (3-15) and Mohammed Shami (2-18), rather than the spinners, who did the bulk of the damage for India with the pink ball, with Axar Patel taking the other wicket.

India lost four wickets in the opening session, Hanuma Vihari falling for 31 and Rohit removed by Embuldeniya (3-94) prior to Virat Kohli (23) being snared leg before by a Dhananjaya de Silva (2-32) with a delivery that kept so low it gave the former captain no chance.

Rishabh Pant was emphatically cleaned up by Embuldeniya for 39 and Ravindra Jadeja fell cheaply to the same bowler, but Iyer raced to 54-ball half-century and was then dropped by Charith Asalanka.

Iyer played majestically and although he was stumped short of a century off the bowling of Jayawickrama to end the innings, his innings turned the tide.

Bumrah and Shami ensured it was India's day, the former striking a big blow by getting Angelo Mathews caught by Rohit at second slip late on an action-packed day.

Iyer shows his class

While other batters struggled on a tricky track, Iyer gave another demonstration of his class.

The 27-year-old struck four sixes and 10 fours as his positive approach paid off in a knock that could be decisive. 

Lethal Bumrah and Shami sparkle under the lights.

Facing Bumrah and Shami is a difficult task at the best of times, but under the lights in these sort of conditions meant the tourists were always going to be up against it.

Shami bowled Dimuth Karunaratne with his first delivery after Bumrah had accounted for Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Thirimanne. Dhananjaya was Shami's second victim, then Axar snared Asalanka before Mathews departed late on.

Jasprit Bumrah says India must make "mental changes" when they face Sri Lanka in a pink-ball Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

India hammered Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs in the first Test in Mohali.

Rohit Sharma's first Test as captain was one-sided, with Ravindra Jadeja claiming match figures of 9-87 and scoring a magnificent unbeaten 175.

India are strong favourites to complete a whitewash by winning a second Test in Bengaluru that starts on Saturday.

Pacemen Bumrah says they must adapt quickly to conditions in the day-night match.

He said: "There are mental changes you have to make. Growing up, we haven't played a lot with the pink ball.

"We are not used to catching the pink ball, bowling with the pink ball, and as batters, playing against the pink ball.

"Whatever little games we've played we're trying to get feedback from those games - certain ways the ball behaves under the lights, and how to adjust. We're still very new in this format. We're playing a pink-ball Test after a long time."

He added: "As professional cricketers, it is our job to adjust as soon as we can. Sometimes the pink ball reaches you sooner than you expect.

"The timing is different. In a normal Test match the ball swings more in the morning session. Here maybe the ball won't do much in the afternoon, but in the evening it could probably swing more.

"There are many such small pointers. We haven't played many day-night matches, and whatever we have done have been in different conditions. We are just trying to work on whatever little we have noticed in our limited experience."

The tourists will be without batter Pathum Nissanka, who scored an unbeaten half-century in the first innings of the opening Test but has sustained a back injury.

India welcome back fit-again spinner Axar Patel, with Kuldeep Yadav released from the squad.

Ashwin closing in on another milestone

Jadeja was the star of the first Test, earning the man of the match award and returning to the top of the Test all-rounder rankings.

Fellow spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also made a big impact, taking six wickets in the match and scoring an excellent 61.

Ashwin needs another 95 runs to reach the 3,000 landmark. When he achieves that feat, he will become only the second India player to take 200 wickets and score 3,000 Test runs.

Lakmal set for swansong

Suranga Lakmal is set to feature in his final Test at the age of 35.

The Sri Lanka seamer has signed for Derbyshire and this will be the last match of his international career.

Lakmal has taken 170 wickets in 69 Tests and he will be sorely missed by Sri Lanka.

New Zealand sealed back-to-back victories after a disciplined bowling performance helped them bowl out India for 198, after setting them a target of 261 to chase.

It was a slow start for the Indian openers Yastika Bhatia and Smriti Mandhana, with runs hard to come by.  The pressure paid off as Jess Kerr dismissed Mandhana for 6, with the opener chipping it straight to cover. Deepti Sharma also couldn't last long, with Lea Tahuhu trapping her lbw for 5 in what turned out to be a successful review as India slipped to 26/2.

Bhatia, joined by Mithali Raj, failed to up the tempo as the hosts kept up the disciplined line and length. Bhatia would finally perish for 28, with a leading-edge to cover, as Tahuhu celebrated her second scalp. Raj would be joined by Harmanpreet Kaur, with a tall task ahead for the two veteran Indian batters.

After 25 overs, India were 75/3 in their chase of 261, with a mountain to climb. 

As Raj started to up the ante, she was outfoxed by a tossed-up delivery by Amelia Kerr, with the Indian skipper walking back for 31 off 56 deliveries. The very next delivery from Kerr would reap the wicket of Richa Ghosh for a duck – a beautiful wrong'un bowling the Indian batter. 

India would stutter along for the next few overs, with Harmanpreet and Sneh Rana failing to accelerate, as the required rate kept on climbing up. Tahuhu would scalp her third in 37th over, sending Rana packing for 18 with a short delivery. Vastrakar also couldn't contribute much with the bat, perishing against Hannah Rowe for 6.

With the match all but slipped away, Harmanpreet started unleashing a flurry of shots, bringing up her half-century. There were a couple of massive hits before she went for one too many, holing out to long-off after an entertaining knock of 71 off only 63 deliveries.

Jhulan Goswami and Meghna Singh would open up their arms and clear the boundaries, but it was a case of too little and too late for India. They would be bowled out for 198, losing the match by 62 runs. The result gave New Zealand another crucial two points, making it two wins in three for the White Ferns.

At the backend of their bowling innings, India fought back brilliantly after Amy Satterthwaite with a half-century had given the White Ferns a perfect platform. The left-hander was joined by wicket-keeper Katey Martin, promoted to No.6 to launch at the backend of the innings. Satterthwaite took 60 balls to reach fifty, also ticking over a fifty partnership with Maddy Green in the process.

Alongside Martin, Satterthwaite would stitch another crucial 49-run stand as New Zealand etched closer to mounting a big score on the board.

Martin got a second life as Pooja Vastrakar spilled a simple catch off the bowling of Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the 42nd over, but she made up for it in the very next over, dismissing Satterthwaite who was trying to chip the ball with an on-drive, Satterthwaite could only find Mithali Raj at mid-wicket. This brought to an end a brilliant knock of 75 in 84 deliveries. 

The wicket helped India mount a late fightback in the death overs. Hayley Jensen would depart, failing in her attempt to sweep Gayakwad and getting her off-stump knocked over. 

Vastrakar then delivered a cracking 47th over, in which she took consecutive wickets and was on a hat-trick. Tahuhu was first bowled by a brilliant yorker on 1. On the very next delivery, Vastrakar again delivered a sizzling yorker, with the ball deflecting off Jess Kerr's pads as she was bowled for a duck. Frances Mackay managed to dig the third yorker in a row out as Vastrakar missed out on a sensational feat. 

Katey Martin's valuable knock of 41 came to an end in the final over as Goswami knocked her over. With the wicket, Goswami became the joint-highest wicket-taker in Women's World Cup history, joining Lynette Ann Fullston at the top with 39 scalps. 

Goswami would only concede 5 in the final over as the New Zealand innings came to an end at 260/9. 

Ravindra Jadeja fed off the "positive vibes" at his "lucky ground" to star with bat and ball in India's crushing victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test.

India hammered the tourists at the PCA Stadium, wrapping up their fifth-biggest win in the longest format by an innings and 222 runs on day three.

Jadeja was outstanding in Mohali, making a Test-best 175 not out in India's 574-8 declared before tormenting Sri Lanka with his left-arm spin.

The all-rounder took 5-41 and 4-46 as Dimuth Karunaratne's side were bowled out for 174 and 178 in their first and second innings respectively on Sunday.

Jadeja's exploits earned him a third man-of-the-match award at a venue that has been such a happy hunting ground for him.

"This is my lucky ground," he said. "Whenever I come here, I always get positive vibes.

"When you perform like this, you feel very confident. I haven't done anything differently with my batting, just backing my instincts. I try to settle down and after that I play my shots. I try to keep it simple."

Rohit Sharma did not envisage India making such light work of winning his first Test as captain.

He said "It was a good start. I never thought it was going to be that kind of Test that gets over in three days. It was a good batting wicket with help for spinners and seamers.

"Credit to our bowlers who bowled in tandem and applied pressure. We knew it is a fast outfield and runs would be easier to come if you dig in. We were just waiting for an odd one to bounce differently and their batters to make mistakes."

Ravichandran Ashwin took 4-47 in the second innings to move second on the list of India's leading Test wicket-takers with 436 ahead of the great Kapil Dev.

It was the perfect response to India's series defeat in South Africa and a fitting way to mark former skipper Virat Kohli's 100th Test.

Rohit added: "Good signs for Indian cricket, a lot of performances and a landmark Test for Virat. We wanted to first win the game and such individual performances were heartening to see.

"It was the team's decision and Jadeja's decision on the declaration. It shows how selfless he is."

Ravindra Jadeja's remarkable performance in the first Test against Sri Lanka moved to another level on day three as India swiftly wrapped up their fifth-biggest win in the format.

India had led by 466 runs at the close of play on the second day, with Jadeja scoring an unbeaten 175 as the hosts declared on 574-8.

And Sri Lanka never threatened to make the all-rounder bat again – chiefly due to his brilliance with the ball.

The tourists, resuming on 108-4, were all out for 174 and forced to follow-on as Jadeja took 5-41.

An inspired Jadeja then claimed 4-46 in Sri Lanka's second innings, which concluded on 178 in the third session – India's victory by an innings and 222 runs illustrating the gulf between the teams.

Jadeja had already removed Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne on day two and soon accounted for Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara in a sublime spell.

Pathum Nissanka made 61 not out as his team-mates departed one by one.

And there was precious little improvement when Sri Lanka returned to the crease for their second innings, with Dickwella this time the man lacking support as he made an unbeaten 51.

There was no 10-wicket haul for Jadeja, as Ravichandran Ashwin (4-47) took the final wicket of Kumara with Sri Lanka all out in 60 overs.

Jadeja just too good with bat and ball

Having scored the highest total by an Indian number seven and then snared an early wicket, Jadeja must have thought day two was just about as good as it was going to get. He was wrong.

Jadeja took eight of the 16 wickets on Sunday, with four of them going for ducks to secure sensational match figures of 9-87.

Ashwin achievement overshadowed

Such was Jadeja's dominance, there was little chance of him sharing the spotlight. But this was a special day for Ashwin, too, even before his dismissal of Kumara clinched victory.

His previous wicket, of Charith Asalanka for 20, was his 435th in Test cricket, taking him clear of Kapil Dev into second on India's all-time list. Only Anil Kumble (619) is ahead of Ashwin.

Ravindra Jadeja took up the mantle for India as his unbeaten 175 guided Rohit Sharma's side into a commanding position on day two of the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Rishabh Pant fell short of a century on day one in Mohali, but day two also belonged to the hosts, who were 446 runs ahead at stumps on Saturday.

Jadeja resumed on 45, yet the world's second-best Test batsman had ticked over 100 by the time lunch arrived, with India at 468-7 after ending day one on 357-6.

Ravichandran Ashwin reached 61 from 82 deliveries, with his stand including eight fours, before falling to Suranga Lakmal (2-90) in the first session.

Jayant Yadav was dismissed for two shortly after lunch, but Jadeja went on the offensive, putting on a century stand for the ninth-wicket alongside Mohammed Shami (20 not out) before Sharma declared on 574-8.

Virat Kohli, playing in his 100th Test, received a guard of honour from his team-mates as India headed out to field, though Sharma's hosts were made to wait for a breakthrough as Sri Lanka's openers started in solid fashion after tea.

That breakthrough came in the 19th over when Ashwin trapped Lahiru Thirimanne leg before wicket. The opener sent it upstairs, but the review merely confirmed the decision.

Dimuth Karunaratne (28) followed soon after, again unsuccessfully reviewing for an lbw decision, albeit this time on umpire's call.

Jasprit Bumrah thought he had bowled Pathum Nissanka, only to have overstepped his mark, but he got his wicket when Angelo Mathews was given out lbw, with the review again confirming umpire's call.

Dhananjaya de Silva also went lbw, attempting an unwise sweep from Ashwin as India capped off a fine day.

Sri Lanka's review misfortune

Sri Lanka fell foul of an umpire's call twice, so it would be harsh to say they wasted their reviews on trying to overturn the dismissals of Karunaratne and Mathews.

De Silva did not even attempt to get a reprieve from the technology, though Charith Asalanka did use one wisely to avoid being given out late on to Jadeja.

Jadeja stakes his claim

India's Jadeja is arguably the best all-rounder in world cricket at the moment, and he proved his quality with his exceptional knock, which included three sixes and 17 fours.

His 175 is a new personal high in Test cricket for the 33-year-old and came at a strike rate of 76.75. It might just have put this match beyond the tourists, too.

Rishabh Pant fell agonisingly short of a century and Virat Kohli missed out on a hundred on day one of his 100th Test, but India are on top against Sri Lanka in Mohali.

Kohli looked in good touch in his landmark match – and the first since Rohit Sharma replaced him as Test captain – before he was bowled by Lasith Embuldeniya for 45.

Hanuma Vihari made a composed 58 after being selected to come in at number three, but it was Pant who took centre stage following Kohli's departure with a typically explosive innings.

The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed 96 off 97 balls, but failed to reach three figures as he was bowled by Suranga Lakmal late in an opening day of the series that ended with India on 357-6.

Rohit started his reign by winning the toss and put on 52 in an opening stand with Mayank Agarwal before the new skipper fell to Lahiru Kumara for 29.

Agarwal (33) was also sent on his way before lunch, trapped leg before by Embuldeniya (2-107), and Kohli struck five boundaries before losing his off stump to the spinner to end a stand of 90 with Vihari.

With Cheteshwar Pujara dropped along with Ajinkya Rahane, the elegant Vihari set about trying to establish himself in the side with a half-century before playing on to a delivery from Fernando.

Pant produced the fireworks in a swashbuckling knock to raise the run-rate, putting on 104 for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (45 not out) on a tough day for Sri Lanka.

The tourists were lifted late on, though, when was cleaned up through the gate by Lakmal and kicked the ground as he trudged off in fury.

Pant pummels Sri Lanka

A fifth Test century was there for the taking for Pant after Pant dispatched the Sri Lanka attack to all parts.

The destructive left-hander shifted through the gears after bringing up his half-century, launching Embuldeniya for back-to-back sixes as he took 22 off an over from the spinner.

Pant had cleared the rope four times and hit another nine boundaries until he fell so close to three figures.

Kohli joins 8,000 club but hundred remains elusive

Former captain Kohli strode to the crease with an air expectation on such a big occasion for him.

That was building as he ticked along nicely, scoring the 38 runs he needed to reach the 8,000-mark in the longest format.

There was to be no first Test century since November 2019, though, as Embuldeniya failed to read the script.

Shreyas Iyer struck an unbeaten 73 to guide India to a six-wicket victory and T20I series whitewash over Sri Lanka.

Rohit Sharma's side had already secured the series heading into the clash in Dharamsala after dominant victories in the opening two outings.

India carried on their imperious form in the shortest format as they cantered to victory with 19 balls to spare, sealing their 12th straight T20I win – a feat achieved only by Afghanistan among full-member sides.

Sri Lanka struggled after opting to bat first as Avesh Khan (2-23) and Mohammed Siraj (1-22) picked up early wickets to limit the tourists to a meagre 18-3 in the powerplay.

A fightback from Dinesh Chandimal (22) and Dasun Shanaka (74 not out), who captained his country for the 25th time in T20Is, propelled Sri Lanka to 146-5, with the tourists striking 56 off the last four overs.

India lost captain Sharma (five) to Dushmantha Chameera (1-19) in the second over of their response, but Iyer and Sanju Samson led the recovery before the latter fell for 18.

The hosts retain control from then on, as Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja (22 not out) secured the victory in the 17th over.

It marked India's 10th straight T20I victory over Sri Lanka at home – extending their longest such winning run against any country at home.

Impeccable Iyer

Iyer continued his domination of the Sri Lankan bowlers with another masterclass as he mustered 73 off just 45 deliveries, with his knock including nine fours and one six.

He finished the series as the top run-scorer (204), comfortably ahead of second-placed Shanaka (124), and was not dismissed in his three outings.

Shanaka's heroics in vain

Shanaka delivered for his side on a landmark appearance, striking 74 off 38 balls to take Sri Lanka from 29-4 to 146-5, but his efforts proved fruitless.

In T20Is, only Chandimal has captained Sri Lanka more than the all-rounder, who has won 11 of his 25 matches in charge (L13, T1), but Shanaka will be keen to overturn their poor run of form in Asia sooner rather than later, given they have lost six of their last seven T20I matches on the subcontinent.

A middle-order flourish ensured India eased to another T20I victory, their 100th in the format, and secured a series triumph against Sri Lanka.

The second match of three at Dharamsala went the same way as the first – and indeed the seven completed matches between these sides in this format before that.

India were seven-wicket winners after Rohit Sharma put Sri Lanka into bat, although his opposite number Dasun Shanaka threatened to make life tough for the hosts.

While Pathum Nissanka opened with 75, India would have been comfortable with the tourists' scoring rate until Shanaka arrived at the crease.

He then thrashed 47 off just 19 – five of which went for six – in the closing stages of the innings to reach 183-5.

But it was a similar story for India with the bat, as a slow start offered Sri Lanka hope even as Shreyas Iyer made an unbeaten 74.

Rather than Iyer, whose run rate slowed as the target came into view, his partners got the job done in real style, with 39 off 25 from Sanju Samson and then a stunning 45 off 18 from Ravindra Jadeja.

A four from Jadeja fittingly completed the chase on 186-3 with 17 balls still to spare.

Hundred up

India became only the second men's team to reach 100 wins in T20Is, following Pakistan, whose 117 is a benchmark Rohit's side still have a long way to go to match.

Record in sight

India are tallying wins in this format at quite some rate, however. As well as their ninth in a row against Sri Lanka, this was their 11th in succession against all opponents.

Only Afghanistan, among all full-member sides, have had a longer such sequence, but that run of 12 – set between February 2018 and September 2019 – could now be matched in the final match of this series.