India won the second T20I against Sri Lanka at Pallekelle, courtesy of a quickfire 30 from Yashasvi Jaiswal and contributions from Surya and Hardik Pandya. The bowlers were exceptional in the first half by restricting Sri Lanka to 161 for 9. With that, the Men in Blue won the India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I and the series.
SKY Won the Toss, Elected to Bowl First in India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I
After some rain interruptions, India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I finally began. The first game saw a flurry of fours and sixes at the Pallekelle ground. Sri Lanka had things under control till the 16th over before India reigned supreme to win the first T20I. India captain Surya Kumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl first. There was one change, Shubhman Gill made way for Sanju Samson as the former had a back spasm. Sri Lanka also made one change, replacing Dilshan Madhushanka with Ramesh Mendis in India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I.
Sri Lankan Openers Start with a Bang
Pathum Nissanka smashed a wide delivery of Mohd. Siraj through covers for a boundary. His fellow opening partner Kusal Mendis ended the first over with a boundary by glancing at the fine-leg region. Sri Lanka reached 10 for no loss in the first over. Mendis hit the last ball of the second over to take Sri Lanka to 18 for no loss. Nissanka lifted one delivery off his legs to hit a boundary in the mid-wicket region. However, Arshdeep foxed Kusal Mendis with a slower delivery that went into the lap of Ravi Bishnoi. Mendis scored 10 off 11 balls.
Kusal Perera hit the boundary straightaway, glancing it fine down the leg side. Kusal Perera hit a flat six off the bowling of Mohd. Siraj on the leg side, followed by a boundary down the ground. Axar Patel was welcomed to the bowling crase by Nissanka with two successive boundaries to take Sri Lanka to 53 for 1 in 5.2 overs. Islanders reached 54 for 1 in 6 overs in the India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I.
Sri Lanka Continue to be Aggressive with the Bat
Kusal Perera hit two fours to take Sri Lanka to 63 for 1 in the 7th over. Both him and Pathum were quick between the wickets, converting ones into twos. Nissanka dispatched a rank long loosener from Riyan Parag to the fine-leg region for four. Soon, these two completed a half-century stand in India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I. Rinku Singh made a valiant, but unsuccessful attempt to take a catch of Kusal Perera who miscued a sweep shot of Ravi Bishnoi. Ravi, however, got Nissanka trapped leg before to a wrong-on. Sri Lanka reached 80 for the loss of two wickets in 10 overs.
How Islanders Responded After 10 Overs in India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I
Kamindu Mendis hit a bad delivery from Riyan Parag to a boundary on the off-side before taking a couple the next ball. Perera hit a boundary over the wicketkeeper’s head that came off the top edge. He finished the 12th over with a boundary at the deep backward point region. Kamindu Mendis brought up Sri Lanka’s 100 with an inside out shot off the bowling of Riyan Parag. He then hit down the ground for another four. Riyan looked clueless at the hands of Kusal and Kamindu in India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I.
Kusal completed his half-century by pulling a back off the length delivery, which went over the rope courtesy of a lapse by Siraj at deep square leg. Kamindu Mendis got a luck boundary off Riyan Parag as the under-edge shot went past the off stump by a whisker to the fence. Sri Lanka reached 130 for 2 at the end of 15 overs.
Sri Lanka’s Batting Collapse in the Last Five Overs
Hardik Pandya got the wicket straightaway by dismissing Kamindu who was holed out by Rinku Singh in the deep. Kusal Perera, however, was left unperturbed as he smoked one into the cow-corner for half-a-dozen with ease. However, Hardik Pandya, after bowling two successive Wides, got rid of Kusal Perera who hit staight to Rinku Singh at deep square leg. India got one more as Dasun Shanaka chopped on a flatter delivery of Ravi Bishnoi. Wanindu Hasaranga followed the suit as the wrong-on rattled the stumps. Islanders were 6 down for 140 in no time in India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I. Sri Lanka reached 150 for 6 in 18.2 overs.
Asalanka, in an attempt to up the ante, hit one straight to Sanju Samson at mid-wicket. Axar Patel got the 8th Sri Lankan wicket of Maheesh Theekshana before Pathirana bent down on one knee to hoist in deep on the leg side for a six. Axar got Pathirana stumped by bowling slightly wider. Islanders finished at 161 for 9 in India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I.
Indian Openers Begin in a Customary Attacking Mode
Yashasvi Jaiswal was dropped before the Mumbai batter slammed a boundary in the mid-off region for four. The rain interrupted the game for an hour. India got a revised victory target of 78 in 8 overs. Jaiswal hit a boundary on the leg-side immediately after the break. He wanted to smack one into the off-side by backing away. However, Dasun followed him and so he could not get any connection. India’s score was 12 at the end of the first over.
Maheesh Theekshana struck in his very first ball as he bowled Sanju Samson with an incoming delivery. He foxed Surya too the first ball the Indian captain faced. At the end of two overs, India were 14 for 1. Jaiswal smashed a six off Hasaranga at deep square leg followed by a four by reverse sweeping. Surya hit his first boundary by bending down on one knee.
Yashasvi, Surya Consolidate Further in India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I
Surya hit three successive boundaries in the first three balls of the fourth over. India reached 45 for 1 at the end of four overs. SKY flicked Pathirana for a maximum in the fine leg before grabbing the wicket of the Indian skipper as Dasun took a good catch. India were 51 for two. Hardik smashed a boundary on the first ball of the sixth over to take India’s score to 58 for two. Jaiswal stepped out of the crease to hit a 75-mtere long six on the leg-side. The Indian opener, in an attempt to repeat the earlier stroke, was caught by Dasun at the boundary rope. Hardik hit a six off the last ball of the sixth over to take India to 72 for 3. Hardik Pandya hit two succcessive fours to win India the game and the series.
