India vs Sri Lanka: Hits and Flops as hosts grab the series 2-0 in Dharamsala
The second match of the India vs Sri Lanka T20I series saw a comprehensive win for the Indian team. With this victory, India also clinched the series. The Rohit Sharma-led side won the match by seven wickets in Dharamsala on Saturday.
Put in to bat first, Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka (75 off 53) and Danushka Gunathilaka (38 off 29) gave their side a steady start before losing wickets regularly in the middle overs. Skipper Dasun Shanaka, with his five sixes in the final overs of the innings, provided Sri Lanka a late impetus and took the score to 183-5.
In reply, India endured a dodgy start. The Lankan pacers utilized their extra pace and took two early wickets inside the powerplay. However, in what seemed like an uphill task for India, iyer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Shreyas Iyer (74* off 44) and Sanju Samson (39 off 25) bailed India out of trouble. Ravindra Jadeja (45* off 18) also flourished with a late blitz and hit the winning runs for the hosts.
11th T20I win on the bounce for #TeamIndia 👏👏
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Winning the game by 17 balls to spare, India have now registered their 11th consecutive T20I victory. On that note, let's look at the hits and flops from the second India vs Sri Lanka T20I.
#4 India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I: Flop - Harshal Patel
Harshal Patel had an off-day in India colors on Saturday. The white-ball specialist leaked 52 runs at an economy rate of 13 in his quota of four overs in return for a single wicket.
After giving away 10 runs in his first over, Harshal came back and bowled a tight one which went for just five runs. He even got the wicket of Kamil Mishara by bowling a slower one.
However, the right-armer went for as many as 42 runs in his next 12 deliveries. Bowling in the 17th over, Harshal was hit for a couple of sixes by Shanaka. In the 20th over, the 31-year old tried to bowl his usual slow dipping deliveries outside the off stump.
Shanaka, though, did well enough to counter Harshal's tactics and smashed him for two more sixes and a boundary.
#3. India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I: Hit - Ravindra Jadeja
Just as they did in the first India vs Sri Lanka T20I, the hosts again promoted Ravindra Jadeja up the order. And the experienced left-hander didn't disappoint. He smacked a quick-fire 45 off 18 deliveries. Jadeja ended the innings with a handsome strike rate of 250.
Coming in at No. 5, following the dismissal of Sanju Samson, the all-rounder showed his intent from the get-go. He played a beautiful cover drive for a four to get off the mark.
Jadeja never took any great risk but still managed to keep scoring at a brisk rate. During the 16th over, the southpaw brushed off 21 runs, including a six and three consecutive fours off chameera' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'>chameera" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Dusmantha Chameera, who had looked dangerous early on.
On both sides of the wicket, he found gaps to perfection. He effortlessly dispatched everything in the slot down the ground.
While bowling, Jadeja even took the wicket of Gunathilaka. The left-armer hemorrhaged 18 runs in his first over. However, he did really well to give away only 19 in his next three.