PALLEKELE, (Sri Lanka) July 28: India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in a rain-affected second T20I of the three-match series to take an unassailable 2-0 lead here on Sunday.
Chasing a revised target of 78 in eight overs, skipper Suryakumar Yadav (26, 12b, 4×4, 1×6) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (30, 15b, 3×4, 2×6) batted well as India romped home in 6.3 overs under DLS method.
Earlier, Kusal Perera made an aggressive fifty but leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi struck three crucial blows as India restricted Sri Lanka to a below-par 161 for nine before rain interrupted India’s chase at 6 for no loss in 0.3 overs.
Indian bowling unit repeated its happy knack of effecting a collapse at the back-end as Sri Lanka ended with a below-par 161 for 9 in the second T20 International here on Sunday.
On Saturday, Sri Lanka lost eight wickets for 21 runs while chasing and on Sunday, the islanders lost six wickets for 31 runs in their last 30 balls.
Despite scoring 80 in the first 10 overs and in a position to accelerate, Charith Asalanka’s side lost its way, managing just 81 runs in the back-10 as Hardik Pandya’s (2/23 in 2 overs) change of pace and Ravi Bishnoi’s (3/26 in 4 overs) fast googlies did the trick.
This was after Pathum Nissanka (32 off 24 balls) and veteran southpaw Kusal Perera (54 off 34 balls) had added 54 runs for the second wicket in six overs to set the platform only to find batters coming after them fritter it away.
As the Indian bowlers tightened the noose around the Lankan batters, the desperation to break the shackles saw the likes of all-rounders Dasun Shanaka (0) and Wanindu Hasaranga (0) playing indiscreet shots as frown on interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya’s face was so palpable.From 130 for 2 in 15 overs, Sri Lanka suddenly had a middle-order collapse, twice in two days where they lost four wickets in a space of 10 deliveries, which also included a run-out.
Suryakumar Yadav’s bowling plans aided by Gautam Gambhir’s back-room brainstorming was evident as Bishnoi, who seemed to struggle against Sri Lankan top-order with more right-handers attacking his wrong ‘un, was kept out of the attack.
He started with the young Riyan Parag (0/30 in 4 overs), who had 10 dot balls and five boundaries but was asked to just attack the stumps with occasional turn while Axar Patel (2/30 in 4 overs) continued with his wicket-to-wicket dart-like accuracy.
The ball gripped off the surface while travelling at a decent pace leaving batters confused whether to come forward or stay put on their stance.Once Bishnoi came in, the change he made from the previous night was varying the pace of his googlies — fastest for Nissanka, slightly slower for Shanaka and flat and low for Hasaranga. Chasing a revised target of 78 in 8 overs after rain delay, India cross the finish line in just 6.3 overs.
India wrapped up the chase in a blink of an eye with Yashasvi Jaiswal (30 off 15), Suryakumar Yadav (26 off 12) and Hardik Pandya (9-ball 22*) coming to the party.So, the Suryakumar Yadav-Gautam Gambhir T20I era begins with a series win over Sri Lanka. (PTI)
