Thanks to the Decision Review System (DRS) Sri Lanka were able to restrict India to a getable target of 227 in the third and final ODI at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday.
Had it not been for the DRS Sri Lanka could have possibly lost the match and with it would have come the disastrous repercussions at a time the team has been put under intense scrutiny following a rebellion for higher pay and a subsequent breakdown in disciplne.
It happened when the ICC’s Elite Panel Umpire Kumara Dharmasena refused to rule-out power-hitting batsmen Hardik Pandya and Suriyakumar Yadav who were both trapped leg-before right in front middle stump.
Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka reviewed both and the replays showed the balls from spinners Praveen Jayawickrema and Akila Dananjaya clearly hitting the stumps.
It happened at a time India threatened to take the match away at 179 for 4 in the 29th over from a quota of 47 overs.
The dismissals triggered an Indian collapse, all out 225 that Sri Lanka successfully chased down with eight overs to spare.
Pandya hit 19 and Suriyakumar made 40.