Lucknow, Feb 24: Ishan Kishan gave a glimpse of his enormous potential with a 56-ball-89 before the bowlers joined the party in India’s clinical 62-run demolition of Sri Lanka in the first T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-game series here on Thursday.
This was also India’s longest winning streak in T20Is which has now gone up to 10 matches.
Kishan was unstoppable at the top as he blasted a blistering 56-ball 89, while Shreyas Iyer provided the late charge with an unbeaten 57 as India racked up a massive 199 for 2.
The Indian bowlers, led by Bhuveshwar Kumar (2/9) and Venkatesh Iyer (2/36), then provided the finishing touch, limiting Sri Lanka to 137 for 6 in 20 overs. Yuzvendra Chahal (1/11) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/28) also claimed one wicket each.
For Sri Lanka, Charith Asalanka regained some confidence with an unbeaten 47-ball 53 but didn’t get support from the other batters.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma became the highest scorer in all T20Is after his innings of 44 as he surpassed Martin Guptill (3299) to now go onto 3307.
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (67 wickets) has now gone past Jasprit Bumrah as India’s top wicket-taker in T20Is.
Defending the total, Bhuvneshwar provided India the perfect start as he cleaned up in-form opener Pathum Nissanka (0) of the first ball of the innings before returning to remove the other opener Kamil Mishara (13) cheaply.
India’s fielding was not up to the mark with ventakesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer spilling chances off Kamila and Charith Asalanka in 3rd and 6th overs respectively but it didn’t matter as the Lankan batters couldn’t use the chances.
Ventakesh got rid of Janith Liyanage (11), while comeback man Ravindra Jadeja had Dinesh Chandimal (10) stumped in the 10th over as Sri Lanka were down 51 for 4 in 10th over.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka’s (3) stay lasted six balls as Chahal overtook Bumrah to become India’s leading wicket taker (67) in T20Is.
With the required run-rate hovering over 20, Asalanka then provided some respectibility to the chase.
Earlier Kishan, smashed 10 hits to the fence and three sixes. The 23-year-old from Jharkhand forged a 111-run innings for the opening wicket with skipper Rohit Sharma (44) to put India on course for a formidable total after being invited to bat first.
Iyer then grabbed the opportunity with both hands, smashing five fours and two sixes in 28 balls to take India to a huge total. (PTI)
