The second Twenty20 International match between India and Sri Lanka in Pallekele was a real thriller, thanks to an exceptional performance by Arshdeep Singh. After winning the toss, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav decided to field first, and it paid off as the Indian bowlers displayed excellent form.
Sri Lanka had a rough start to the match as the lethal Arshdeep Singh struck early. With just 10 runs on the scoreboard, he got rid of Kusal Mendis, who was caught by Ravi Bishnoi, giving India their first breakthrough. With Mendis out of the game at 26/1 in 3.3 overs, the Indian bowling onslaught got underway.
Sri Lankans were on fire early on but couldn’t sustain the heat. The opening combination of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis could not forge an effective partnership. Furthermore, Mohammed Siraj played a major role by preventing the Sri Lankan batsmen from getting going and striking critical early blows.
Sri Lanka’s innings were punctuated by disparate contributions from their middle order, but none would withstand the disciplined Indian bowling. The revival of Ramesh Mendis, who last played a T20I three years ago, were not able to provide any solid foundation to the Sri Lankans. By the time they finished batting, Sri Lanka had a small score that appeared manageable enough for Indian batsmen.
India’s response was marked by a steady yet aggressive start. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson opened the innings, with both players demonstrating composure and aggression. Jaiswal’s fireworks and Samson’s steady hand ensured India remained ahead of the required run rate.
Middle order includes players like Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya whose presence proved advantageous for India. Particularly, Suryakumar maintained his brilliant way of going against Sri Lanka scoring essential runs at a lightning speed.
The Indian innings were fraught with challenges. Due to neck spasm, Shubman Gill had to be replaced by Sanju Samson. But then, the batting line-up for India performed quite well considering the situation they were in and also the bowling of Sri Lanka.
India won the game and showed their depth and resiliency as a unit by chasing down the target with relative ease in the end. India’s confidence is boosted by this victory as they get ready for the next games, further securing their place in the series.
India enjoyed a comprehensive win against Sri Lanka because of its players’ collective workmanship during both bowling and batting
