Team India display batting might to clinch T20I series over Sri Lanka with 7-wicket triumph
Team India registered their 11th consecutive T20I victory, thumping Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Dharamsala to clinch the three-match series with a game in hand.
Chasing a challenging 184, the hosts lost both their openers inside the powerplay. However, Shreyas Iyer (74* off 44) and Sanju Samson (39 off 25) featured in a third-wicket stand of 84 to put India on top. Ravindra Jadeja then came in and hammered an unbeaten 45 in 18 balls as India got home with 17 balls to spare.
That's that from the 2nd T20I.
74* from @ShreyasIyer15, 39 from @IamSanjuSamson
and a brilliant 18-ball 45* from @imjadeja as #TeamIndia seal the T20I series.
Scorecard - bit.ly/INDvSL-2NDT20I #INDvSL
@Paytm https://t.co/ELvnJ3RrgN
The end for Team India was in complete contrast to their start. Rohit Sharma (1) played on to Dushmantha Chameera in the first over, trying to dab a length ball that was too close to him towards third man. First-match hero Ishan Kishan fell for 16, chipping a fuller delivery from Lahiru Kumara to mid-on.
Kishan’s dismissal came immediately after Shreyas had thumped Binura Fernando for three consecutive fours. Shreyas kept India in the contest by chipping down the track and lofting Praveen Jayawickrama for two consecutive sixes. At the halfway stage, Team India were 80 for 2 and needed 104 off the last 10.
Following the drinks break, Shreyas brought up his second consecutive fifty in style, with a flat-bat six over long-on off Chamika Karunaratne. He found another maximum by upper-cutting Dasun Shanaka over point.
Samson, who got off to a slow start, pounded Kumara for a four and three sixes in the 13th over. The first maximum was lifted over the bowler’s head and the second over cover. The third six was again launched down the ground.
bit.ly/INDvSL-T20I2
What a catch from Binura Fernando 🤯
He takes a stunner, which brings an end to Sanju Samson's knock of 39.
#INDvSL | 📝 bit.ly/INDvSL-T20I2 https://t.co/wudraAJy1p
There was more drama off the last ball as Samson (39 off 25) was caught in spectacular fashion by Binura Fernando. Samson threw his bat at a wide delivery, but this time got an outside edge. Fernando, at fly slip, plucked a one-handed stunner above his head.
The scintillating stand between Shreyas and Samson, however, put India in command. The hosts needed 56 to win off the last seven overs.
2. 6. 4. 4. 4. wd. 1 - @imjadeja on 🔥
#INDvSL https://t.co/NdGvpKVzxZ
There was no respite for Sri Lanka following Samson’s exit, and Jadeja came in and smacked seven fours and a six. The all-rounder sealed an emphatic win for the hosts by whacking Dushmantha Chameera past mid-off for a boundary.
Nissanka, Shanaka shine as Sri Lanka post 183 for 5
Pathum Nissanka (75 off 53) and Dasun Shanaka (47* off 19) came up with impressive knocks as Sri Lanka put up 183 for 5 after being sent into bat. Nissanka slammed 11 fours in his innings, while Lankan skipper Shanaka clobbered five sixes and two fours to give the team the final flourish.
Some fireworks from Pathum Nissanka (75) and Dasun Shanaka (47*) help Sri Lanka to a score of 183/5 🎆
Will it prove to be enough? 🤔
#INDvSL | 📝 bit.ly/INDvSL-T20I2 https://t.co/f39j4lS7LQ
Team India looked in decent control of proceedings as they had held the visitors to 111 for 4 at the end of 16 overs. However, the Lankans went berserk in the last four overs, clobbering 72 runs. Shanaka whacked Harshal Patel for two sixes in the 17th over, which went for 19.
The 18th over by Jasprit Bumrah began with Nissanka hitting consecutive fours and ended with the Sri Lankan opener reverse-paddling the Indian strike bowler for another boundary. Even as Nissanka was trapped lbw for 75, Shanaka kept going strong at the other end. The Sri Lankan innings end in spectacular fashion as the captain lofted the last two balls from Harshal for consecutive sixes over long-off and long-on respectively.
India's bowlers kept the Sri Lankan openers in check at the start. Although the visitors did not lose a wicket in the powerplay, they only managed 32 runs.
Danushka Gunathilaka opened up by slapping Ravindra Jadeja for 6, 4 and 6 off successive deliveries, but the left-arm spinner had sweet revenge immediately after. Gunathilaka (38) went for a slog sweep but only managed a top edge and was caught by a diving Venkatesh Iyer.
Chahal strikes 👊
He traps Charith Asalanka, who is gone for 2.
#INDvSL | 📝 bit.ly/INDvSL-T20I2 https://t.co/eHCRGx1Jho
Yuzvendra Chahal soon trapped Charith Asalanka (2) lbw as the left-hander missed his sweep and then went for a needless review. Sri Lanka were 71 for 2 at the halfway stage. The score soon became 76 for 3 as Kamil Mishara (1) was foxed by a Harshal slower one and chipped a catch to short cover.
Nissanka, who had been subdued till then, opened up by striking three fours in the space of two overs. At the other end, Sri Lanka lost Dinesh Chandimal to an off-cutter from Bumrah. However, Nissanka brought up his fifty in style, slapping Chahal for a four. In the company of skipper Shanaka, he then pounded the Indian bowling. Harshal bore the brunt of the assault, conceding 52 in his four overs.
India vs Sri Lanka 2022: Who was the Player of the Match in the 2nd T20I?
It was batters’ day out in Dharamsala on Saturday. Nissanka scored a fine 75 to lift Sri Lanka after a middle-order stumble. Shanaka then came in and provided the finishing touches with some brutal hits.
When it was India’s turn to bat, Shreyas displayed a combination of finesse and power to guide the team after early setbacks. He found amazing companions in Samson and Jadeja, who made his job easy with some blazing hitting.
Shreyas was named the Player of the Match for his fine half-century.