A huge middle-order collapse for Sri Lanka while chasing a massive 214 handed India a 43-run win in the opener of the three-match T20I series at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
Sri Lanka’s new T20I skipper Charith Asalanka elected to bowl first after winning the toss as the hard-hitting left-hander Kusal Perera returned to the Sri Lanka side after missing the recent T20 World Cup. Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka were also brought into the team.
This is also the first game for Suryakumar Yadav as the full-time T20I captain and the first assignment for Gautam Gambhir after taking over from Rahul Dravid as the head coach of Team India.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (w), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka ©, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
India Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav ©, Rishabh Pant (w), Riyan Parag, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
India were flying high in the powerplay as Yashaswi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill added 74 runs within 5.5 overs. Both of them perished in two balls in two overs as Dilshan Madushanka removed Gill (36 off 16) before Wanindu Hasaranga striking off his first ball to dismiss Jaiswal for a 21-ball 40.
Suryakumar Yadav smashed a 22-ball fifty and shared a 76-run partnership with Rishabh Pant for the third wicket. The Indian skipper scored 58 off just 26 balls before being trapped by Matheesha Pathirana.
Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag also fell to Pathirana without making any impact. Pant struggled to get going, but some sloppy fielding from Sri Lanka helped him to find a few boundaries.
The keeper batter became Pathirana’s fourth victim, falling just short of his half-century. The Sri Lankan bowlers fought hard at the death, but still the visitors finished with a massive 213 while losing 7 wickets.
Most of the Lankan bowlers were too expensive, but the 21-year-old slinger bowled some fiery deliveries, finishing his spell with an impressive 4 wickets for 40. The former captain, Hasaranga also bowled an economical spell, conceding only 28 runs for one wicket.
Chasing a massive target, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis set the tone for Sri Lanka at the top of the order with a superb 84-run partnership in 8.4 overs. Arshdeep Singh made the first breakthrough for India.
After providing a wonderful start, Mendis was holded out to deep mid-wicket for 45 off 27. Nissanka put another half-century stand for the second wicket with Kusal Perera while bringing up a 34-ball fifty.
In the 15th over, Axar Patel pulled things back for the visitors, dismissing both of the set batters. Nissanka batted brilliantly for his 48-ball 79 while smashing 7 fours and 4 sixes.
However, the middle-order batters failed to contribute after the top order giving them a great start. A huge batting collapse saw the islanders were bowled out for 170 in 19.2 overs, losing their last 9 wickets for 30 runs in 32 balls.
Surprisingly, Riyan Parag was brought into the attack in the 17th over and finished with 3 wickets for just 5 runs in 1.2 overs. Apart from him, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh each bagged a couple of wickets as well.
Accordingly, India registered a 43-run victory to go 1-0 up in the 3-match series. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav named player of the match as the two sides will take on each other again tomorrow in the second T20I at the same venue.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | st Kusal Mendis b Wanindu Hasaranga | 40 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 190.48 |
| Shubman Gill | c Binura Fernando b Dilshan Madushanka | 34 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 212.50 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | lbw b Matheesha Pathirana | 58 | 26 | 8 | 2 | 223.08 |
| Rishabh Pant | b Matheesha Pathirana | 49 | 33 | 6 | 1 | 148.48 |
| Hardik Pandya | b Matheesha Pathirana | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 90.00 |
| Riyan Parag | lbw b Matheesha Pathirana | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 116.67 |
| Rinku Singh | b Asitha Fernando | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Axar Patel | not out | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Arshdeep Singh | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | 4 (b 0 , lb 0 , nb 0, w 4, pen 0) |
| Total | 213/7 (20 Overs, RR: 10.65) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dilshan Madushanka | 3 | 0 | 45 | 1 | 15.00 | |
| Asitha Fernando | 4 | 0 | 47 | 1 | 11.75 | |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 11.00 | |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 4 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.00 | |
| Kamindu Mendis | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9.00 | |
| Matheesha Pathirana | 4 | 0 | 40 | 4 | 10.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | b Axar Patel | 79 | 47 | 7 | 3 | 168.09 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Yashasvi Jaiswal b Arshdeep Singh | 45 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 166.67 |
| Kusal Perera | c Ravi Bishnoi b Axar Patel | 20 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Kamindu Mendis | b Riyan Parag | 12 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 150.00 |
| Charith Asalanka | c & b | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Dasun Shanaka | run out (Rishab Pant) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | c Riyan Parag b Arshdeep Singh | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | b Riyan Parag | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Matheesha Pathirana | c Axar Patel b Mohammed Siraj | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Asitha Fernando | not out | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Dilshan Madushanka | b Riyan Parag | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 4 (b 2 , lb 0 , nb 0, w 2, pen 0) |
| Total | 170/10 (19.2 Overs, RR: 8.79) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh | 3 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 8.00 | |
| Mohammed Siraj | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 7.67 | |
| Axar Patel | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 | |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 4 | 0 | 37 | 2 | 9.25 | |
| Hardik Pandya | 4 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 10.25 | |
| Riyan Parag | 1.2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 4.17 | |
