India pace bowler Deepak Chahar scored a fifty to guide India to a three-wicket win against Sri Lanka at Colombo. India have won the three-match ODI series 2-0. 

Chahar scored an unbeaten 69 as India chased down 276 with 5 balls to spare. Prior to this game, Chahar’s highest score in international cricket was 12.

Chahar came out to bat ahead of the more accomplished Bhuvneshwar Kumar after India lost six wickets for just 160 runs. In the end, he along with Kumar forged an unbeaten 84-run stand to guide India to a three-wicket win in the second ODI. Bhuvneshwar Kumar scored 19.

“No better way to win the match for the country. Rahul sir told me to play all the balls. I’ve played a few innings with India A (when Dravid was coach) and I think he has belief in me,” Chahar said at the post-match presentation.

“He told me he thinks I’m good enough to be a No. 7. He has belief in me. Hopefully, in the coming matches I don’t have to bat. When we came under 50 that’s when I believed we can win. Before that, it was ball by ball. I took some risks after,” he added.

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Suryakumar Yadav made 53 off 44 balls while Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took three wickets.

India had romped to victory in the first ODI but it took a lot more effort on Tuesday and for Indian skipper Shikhar Dhawan, it was a good lesson the youngsters in the team.

“We were confident of chasing it, but we didn’t start well. It was a good lesson for them. These sort of matches we’re going to learn a lot as a team and they’ll learn how to handle games like these.

“Everyone showed character. The odds were low but we knew that he’s (Chahar) batting well in the nets. His presence of mind, his calculation – in the last four overs they didn’t take on the leg spinner (Hasaranga) because at the time he was lethal,” Dhawan said, praising Chahar.

Batting first, Sri Lanka had set India a target of 276. Lower-order batsman Chamika Karunaratne hit an unbeaten 44 to steer Sri Lanka to 275 for nine.

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Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar took three wickets each while Chahar claimed two.

The final ODI will be played at the same venue on Friday.