[Watch] Axar Patel's double-strike helps India derail Sri Lanka in first T20I

Axar Patel once again stepped up when India needed a moment of inspiration in the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Saturday, July 27. He bowled a sensational over in which he dismissed both the set batters Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera.

Nissanka looked in sublime touch in his knock of 79 in 48 balls and was proving to be a menace for the Men in Blue. However, Axar stepped up and got a delivery from good length to skid on. Nissanka tried to play the cut shot and got cleaned up as the ball got too close to him.

Kusal Perera did get a boundary towards cow corner, but he tried to play another shot in that direction and ended up finding the fielder at deep square leg.

Here's the video of the two dismissals:

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Axar Patel had gone for 29 runs in his three overs and India needed a quiet over to turn the momentum in their favor as they were defending 213. That's exactly how things panned out as the left-arm spinner stepped up and delivered.

Sri Lanka lose their way after Axar Patel's double-wicket over

At 140/1, Sri Lanka were in a great position to pull off a fantastic run-chase as they needed 74 runs to win from six overs. However, Axar Patel's over sent back both Nissanka and Perera. Later, the two new batters at the crease found the required run rate difficult to keep up to.

The hosts began to crumble under pressure as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Dasun Shanaka, a player who could have perhaps turned the game on its head, was run out for a diamond duck. It embodied Sri Lanka's collapse in a nutshell.

They lost their last nine wickets for just 30 runs and were bowled out for 170 in the 20th over, handing India a win by a comprehensive margin of 43 runs.