Pallekele (Sri Lanka): At the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, India defeated Sri Lanka by 43 runs on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Riyan Parag, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel played crucial roles in the game.
Following a brilliant century by captain Suryakumar Yadav (his 20th T20I half-century) and attacking 40s each from Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal (who helped India to a massive 213/7 lead), Pathum Nissanka came outscored by a stylish 48-ball 79 and shared an opening stand of 84 runs with Kusal Mendis to keep Sri Lanka chasing the target.
However, following that, particularly with five wickets falling from overs 15–18, Sri Lanka lost their final nine wickets for just 30 runs, ending their innings at 170 in 19.2 overs. Arshdeep took 2-24, Axar Patel picked 2-38, and Riyan took 3-5.
Nissanka started the chase for 214 by taking two exquisite boundaries from Arshdeep, while Mendis took a pair of boundaries off Axar. Mendis cut and swept Ravi Bishnoi for a pair of boundaries after Nissanka continued to be sublime, upper-cutting and drawing Mohammed Siraj for two sixes.
The openers took fours each off Bishnoi after Mendis concluded the Power Play with a sweep off Axar, guaranteeing Sri Lanka scored 55 runs off the Power play. Mendis kept up the attack, taking two fours off Hardik Pandya before dragging Arshdeep for six.
The first partnership of 84 runs was broken by Mendis pulling straight to deep square leg, but the left-arm pacer emerged victorious. As he carried on playing at his very best, Nissanka first pulled Arshdeep for a maximum and then reached his fifty in thirty-four balls after a direct shot deflected off stumps to make it six runs off the opening ball of the twelfth over.
Nissanka reverse-swept and pulled off Axar to take consecutive boundaries after swatting Hardik off his pads for four more. He ended his fifty-run stand with Mendis by thrashing Hardik square-leg for six, and he was fortunate to have Bishnoi lose his catch at 78.
However, Axar ended the 56-run partnership on the next ball when he arm-balled Nissanka and outran him for 79, beating the hitter with pace. In the fifteenth over, Axar got two wickets off Kusal Perera after the latter hit two fours off him. The bowler then slog-sweep straight to deep square leg.
India’s fightback continued as Bishnoi got a wicket on the last ball of his spell. A top edge on Charith Asalanka’s slog-sweep was caught by deep square leg, followed by Dasun Shanaka’s run-out for a diamond duck.
Riyan Parag got his first T20I wicket by castling Kamindu Mendis, followed by Arshdeep having Wanindu Hasaranga caught at mid-on. Siraj had Matheesha Pathirana caught in the deep, followed by Parag taking out two remaining wickets to ensure India started the series with a win.
Brief scores:
India 213/7 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 58, Rishabh Pant 49; Matheesha Pathirana 4-40) beat Sri Lanka 170 in 19.2 overs (Pathum Nissanka 79, Kusal Mendis 45; Riyan Parag 3-5, Arshdeep Singh 2-24) by 43 runs.
–IANS
