India captain Suryakumar Yadav opted to hand the ball to Rinku Singh in the crucial 19th over. Rinku, who had never rolled his arm in the past, was preferred over Mohammed Siraj. The pacer had one over left. This decision came after Khaleel Ahmed’s expensive 12-run over had reduced Sri Lanka‘s target to just 9 runs in the third and final T20I match in Pallekele.

Even though India had already secured the series after winning two consecutive matches, Surya and head coach Gautam Gambhir took a big risk by making changes for Tuesday’s match. The gamble paid off as the southpaw took two quick wickets, leaving Sri Lanka in trouble at 6 down.

Then, the captain himself stepped up, claiming two more wickets in consecutive balls to defend just 6 runs in the final over and later clinched victory in the Super Over.

After the win, Suryakumar explained why he told Rinku to bowl the penultimate over. In his interview with Sony Sports, Suryakumar said Rinku’s right-arm off-spin was well-suited to the conditions, especially since Rinku had bowled quite a few times in the nets throughout the series.

“The 20th over decision was straightforward, but the 19th over was more challenging.

While Siraj and a few others still had overs remaining, I felt that Rinku was better suited to bowl that particular over. I took the call by observing Rinku’s bowling in practice sessions. Ultimately, I believed this was the right call,” said Suryakumar.

In a post-match interview, former India cricketer Ashish Nehra questioned the captain on why he did not bowl the 19th over. Suryakumar explained that his decision was based on matchups, but then acknowledged that he now has an additional bowling option to consider for future T20I matches.

“I’m well aware that the 19th over is a tricky one for the Indian team. That’s why I entrusted Rinku with this critical over – a right-hander bowling to a left-handed batter is often a tough matchup. Fortunately, Rinku rose to the occasion, skillfully executing his deliveries and making my job easier. Now, I have an additional reliable bowling option moving forward,” he added.