India's Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot during the second T20 International cricket match between India and Sri Lanka, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Pallekele, Sunday, July 28, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Pallekele: The hallmark of a champion side lies in its ability to make light of every adversity. India were dealt an unkind cut by the elements on Sunday, but still found a way to come away unscathed, opening up a winning 2-0 lead over Sri Lanka in the three-match Twenty20 International series at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Having restricted Sri Lanka to 161 for nine after winning the toss in a match delayed by 45 minutes due to a wet outfield, India had reached six without loss in three deliveries when the skies opened up, forcing a 75-minute stoppage at the end of which India’s target was revised to 78 from eight overs.
It was tricky, because Sri Lanka could use two overs each of their three best bowlers, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga. In the end, it didn’t matter at all as India breezed home with a massive nine deliveries to spare, winning by seven wickets on the DLS Method.
Barring a first-ball blob for Sanju Samson, coming in for an indisposed Shubman Gill (neck spasm), India’s batting was breathtaking. Yashasvi Jaiswal was brutal, Suryakumar Yadav swept the Sri Lankans to smithereens and Hardik Pandya applied the finishing touches with ferocious ball-bashing, Hasaranga’s two overs going for 34 and leaving Sri Lanka to pick up the pieces by the time Pandya crashed Pathirana to the square third-man fence.
The result was in keeping with the fightback India had mounted with the ball in the second half of the Sri Lankan innings. Suryakumar’s decision to bowl first on a used surface was largely because of the threat of rain, and while India didn’t begin all that well, they ended superbly like on Saturday, picking up seven for 31 in the last five overs to ensure that the hosts didn’t build handsomely on 130 for two after 15 overs.
Kusal Perera was the glue in stands of 50-plus for the second and third wickets with Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis respectively as India were off their disciplines in the first several overs, but once Suryakumar sussed up that spin was the way to go and maximised the resources at his disposal, India were outstanding. Riyan Parag went wicketless in his four overs but it was his spell that laid the foundation for the success of leggie Ravi Bishnoi and left-arm spinner Axar Patel.
Between them, the three tweakers picked up five for 86 from 13 overs, even if it was the otherwise lacklustre Pandya who returned India into the contest with his twin strikes in the 16th over. Having bowled five wides in his first over, the all-rounder redeemed himself in his next with the scalps of Kamindu and half-centurion Perera.
Bishnoi and Axar didn’t need a second invitation as they made the most of the purchase they procured, with the ball gripping the surface and turning considerably. Sri Lanka were transfixed, waltzing to their doom to set up a spectacular run-chase by the visitors.