Sri Lanka vs. India 2nd T20I: Sri Lanka led Sri Lanka on Wednesday into a 4-wind victory in the second T20I against India in Colombo (40 runs from 34 balls) and Akila Dhanajaya (2/29).
A deprived Indian team with just five batsmen could not stand up to a small 133 goal despite a courageous effort by their players, since Sri Lanka kept the three teams alive with a four-winning triumph in Wednesday’s second international T20. With 9 players not available to play positively after Krunal Pandya tested, India had no choice but to play with 6 bowlers, including one Navdeep Saini pacer who didn’t even get one over. After scored 132 for five in India, Dhananya de Silva (40 not out) spearheaded a tough Lankan chase.
The hosts won two spare balls. Deputy captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/21 over 4) was economic till Chamika Karunartne started his full-fledged six-meter thrust. The 12 runs have reduced the equations to 8 runs, which was exceedingly hard for Chetan Sakariya’s debutant to defend.
If one bowler becomes upset, despite 2/30 numbers, Kuldeep is fantastic but dropped a handful of catches by his fieldmen. His numbers are further damaged by weak efforts in the outfield. Yadav has outfoxed opposition skipper Dasun Shanaka by cutting the length of his inventory — the one that turns to the right hand and Sanju Samson has stunned him with a clever leg.
In addition, Mind Bhanuka (36 balls off 31) sought to get a large shootout out of the stump and holed out deeply after Bhuvneshwar dropped one while sprinting back, as he skied against a turn in the cover zone. Varun Chakravarthy (1/18 over 4) was also impressive, but the overall was rendered stunning. Earlier, India fought for momentum on a slow path against Sri Lankan spinners, managing 132 out of five.
Debutant Devdutt Padikkal, though, showed an insight into a bright future in his short innings.
The difficulty could be measured by the fact that just seven boundaries and six were reached in 20 overviews with up to 42 dot balls eaten by the batters of the visiting squad.
Skipper Shikhar Dhawan (40 off 2 balls) who knows that the batting line-up is a thin-off experience, had a careful approach on a course in which the ball just refuses to come on the bat. Run-making was an ordeal with heavy rain slowing the outfield, but young Padikkal (29 off 23 balls) was beautiful, as always, just before he got indiscreet.
Another highly anticipated debut by Ruturaj Gaikwad (21 out of 18 balls) came to an end in a whimper when Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka pounced on him, taking a pull-shot that went straight up toward Minod Chanuka.
Dhawan knew that only five batsmen played on the day. He had to shoot down hazardous strokes even though there was a cover drive, an on-the-drive and a slog-sweep in his five fours before Dananjaya de Silva (2/13) persuaded him to play the slog-sweep. However, during his 32-course stand with skipper Dhawan and a brief one with Sanju Samson, the person who wowed most was Padikkal who slogged Silva Dhanajaya for the sixth year.
He swept Wanindu Hasaranga back (1/30) for a limit before a non-existent slog-sweep caused his collapse. Some of his strokes did not reach the limit, but the child from Bengaluru proved that he had the requisite temperament for the top level. But Sanju Samson was the one who blew away a chance again (7 off 13 balls). He was hoodwinked by Akila Dananjaya’s leg break (2/29) and bowled.
In T20 Internationals Samson has already blown off nine chances and is unlikely to get too many more following Thursday’s final game.
