Srilanka levels the series with a supreme bowling performance vs India. Pitch was well suited for bowlers. The host won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision would soon become a great one with a pitch suited for the spinners from bowl one. Stable side India wins the first T20 against Srilanka.
Srilanka won the toss and decided to bowl.
Line ups:
India: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (wk), Nitish Rana, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Rahul Chahar, Chetan Sakariya, Varun Chakravarthy.
Srilanka: Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Isuru Udana, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dhananjaya.
For India Ruturaj Gaikwad, Chetan Sakariya, Devdutt Padikkal, and Chetan Sakariya were the debutants. Srilanka was more experienced than India as per the lineups.
1st Innings: India could not keep up the start with 132/5.
Shikar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaikwad started the innings very confidently. They were scoring boundaries also taking singles when available. With 45 runs in the powerplay at that condition can be considered very good. Srilankan skipper Dasun Shanka took the 7th over. He provided their side with the vital breakthrough with a bouncer which Gaikwad (21 runs from 18 balls) could not control while pulling the ball. The keeper took a few steps in front and caught an easy catch.
While Dhawan was playing well but with a very slow strike rate. India were only 61/1 from the first 10 overs in a T20 game. The 11th over brought 10 runs with it. Devdutt Padikkal would hit the 1st six of his international career slog sweeping Akila. Also running between the wickets was excellent by these two batsmen. But the 13th over, Akila Dhanajaya bowled Shikhar Dhawan (40 runs from 42 balls, 5(4)) who tried to sweep the bowl and missing it eventually. Australia ripped apart West Indies.
Padikkal was batting innovatively.
Devdutt Padikkal started to accelerate the innings with his innovative play. He was sweeping the ball, reverse sweeping the ball to the boundary, overall it was great to watch. Wanindu Hasaranga, 2nd in the T20 bowler ranking, put an end to Padikkal’s innings with his magical leg spin delivery. Devdutt Padikkal (29 runs from 23 balls, 1(4) 1(6)) was also found sweeping the ball just like Shikhar Dhawan.
Sanju Samson (7 runs of 13 balls) advancing down the pitch against Akila. Ball spinning a lot and hitting his elbow eventually hitting the stumps to dismiss Sanju. Indian batsmen were trying hard to hit the ball but were unable to get hold of it. They will eventually finish the innings at 132/5 in 20 overs.
Wanindu Hasaranga: 4-0-30-1, Dasun Shanaka: 2-0-14-1, Dushmantha Chameera: 4-0-23-1, Akila Dhananjaya: 4-0-29-2, were the bowling figures for the Srilankan team. Novak Djokovic through round 2 at Tokyo Olympics.
2nd Innigs: Srilanka victorious in a nail-bitting finish
Bhuvneshwar Kumar started the innings with a brilliant 1st over with only giving 1 run. Chetan Sakariya was given the 2nd over and gave away 2 boundaries. Both were hit by Akila Dhananjaya. Bhuvneshwar Kumar on his 4th ball of the 3rd over drifted the ball towards Avishka’s pads. Avishka (11 runs from 13 balls, 2(4)) flicked it up but unfortunately was caught at deep square-leg boundary. Rahul Chahar took a brilliant catch at the boundary.
Srilankan batsmen were taking boundary at every over keeping the run-rate steady. Varun Chakravarthy with his mysterious wrong one bowled Samarawickrama (8 runs from 12 balls) with the last ball of the 7th over. Minod Bhanuka was keeping the scoreboard ticking. Dasun Shanaka (3 runs from 6 balls) dancing down the track was stumped. Kuldeep Yadav bowled a wide and a nice take from Samson.
Dhananjaya de Silva made sure they win at the final over.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar dropped Minod Bhanuka at the start of the 12th over. But Minod (36 runs from 31 balls, 4(4)) had to depart in the same over slog sweeping the ball straight in the hands of Rahul Chahar at deep Mid-wicket in the over of Kuldeep Yadav. Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjaya provide Srilanka with the needed push to get on track. Bhuvneshwar Kumar not making the mistake this time and taking an easy catch at point. Rahul Chahar at the last ball of his spell got Hasaranga’s (15 runs from 11 deliveries, 2(4)) wicket.
Chetan Sakariya got his reward for bowling a good line. Ramesh Mendis (2 from 5 balls) departed trying to hit a six eventually finding the safe hands of Ruturaj. With 18 to win from 10 balls, Bhuvneshwar Kumar missed his length to bowl a full toss which was well put away by Karunaratne. Srilanka took 12 runs from the 19th over.
Only 8 to win from 6 balls. Dhananjaya de Silva batted smartly picking the gaps for doubles and eventually winning the match for them. Srilanka 133/6 in 19.4 overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 4-0-21-1, Kuldeep Yadav: 4-0-30-2, Chetan Sakariya: 3.4-0-34-1, Varun Chakravarthy: 4-0-18-1, Rahul Chahar: 4-0-27-1.
Dhananjaya de Silva was awarded MOM for his heroic finish.
Watch the highlights of IND vs SL 2nd T20 here.
