At one stage, Sri Lanka's chase ensured a stiff finish but what ensued in the last 20 minutes was a customary rout by the Indians. With 58 needed off five overs with six wickets in play, this was well and truly Sri Lanka's game. Charith Asalanka set up the chase after India bagged the top-order quickly but the middle-order simply failed to cooperate once again. Yuzvendra Chahal was pretty crucial for India in the middle-overs as he forced the pressure on the batters before Deepak Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar came up with a flurry of wickets towards the end.
Have a good night folks, join us back for the 2nd T20I on Tuesday and do not miss out on the action from the Olympics on Monday morning.
SL 126 all out in 18.2 overs: Bhuvneshwar seals the win
as Udana and Chameera fall in succession! Both batters hole out to the deep off the slower ball and this is a welcome return to wicket-taking form for Bhuvneshwar.
Isuru Udana c Yadav b Kumar 1 (2b), Dushmantha Chameera c KH Pandya b Kumar 1 (3b)
SL 125/8 in 18 overs: Chakravarthy to Shanaka. OUT! First wicket for Varun on debut as he beats through Shanaka and excellent glovework from Kishan does the rest. Shanaka leans forward and falls over. Kishan wobbles for a second and hits the stumps at the perfect moment as Shanaka's back foot lifts off the crease.
SL 122/7 in 17 overs: Bhuvneshwar to Karunaratne. OUT! Chopped back on! Excellent comeback from India's vice captain after a huge six from Shanaka early on in the over. Bhuvneshwar follows a fuller one right outside off and Karunaratne aims for an ambitious drive over covers. The ball takes the inside edge and hits the stumps and that could well be the final blow for Sri Lanka.
SL needs 52 from 24 balls. Bhuvneshwar into the attack
SL 113/6 in 16 overs: Chahar to Asalanka. OUT! Caught at the deep! Chahar uses the slower ball and Asalanka fails to power it over midwicket. He is dejected and boy it's been a fine knock from him. Chahar gets another wicket as Hasaranga is cleaned up! Hasaranga clears towards the leg-side to make room but Chahar follows him up and the outside edge hits the stumps. Game-changing over here for India! Charith Asalanka c Shaw b Chahar 44 (26b 3x4 3x6)
SL 107/4 in 15 overs: Brilliant finish for Chahal. He keeps Asalanka under control with two inch-perfect googlies, whiffing past the off-stump. Asalanka keeps his cool and negotiates the rest of the over as Chahal closes out with 1/19 in four overs. SL needs 58 from 30 balls. Should reckon it is the home side's game to lose at the moment. s
SL 104/4 in 14 overs: Asalanka is leading the charge! Another massive hit over long-on against Varun and he keeps the scoreboard ticking. Chakravarthy fails to close the over well as Asalanka smashes another fine sweep to the square leg boundaru. 61 needed off 36 balls.
SL 90/4 in 13 overs: Hardik to Bandara. OUT! Cleans him up. Bandara's horror night is finally over as he fails to connect on the slower one. Pandya hits the timber and it relieve the pressure off him as well after a poor night on the field. SL needs 75 from 42 balls. Ashen Bandara b HH Pandya 9 (19b)
SL 82/3 in 12 overs: Varun bowls a flat one outside off and Asalanka sits down and slogs it for six over long-on. Chakravarthy recovers swiftly as his carrom ball beats the left-hander twice. 83 needed off 48 balls.
Chakravarthy is back
SL 73/3 in 11 overs: Chahal draws a shorter length and the batters rotate strike freely. They need the big blows in quick time before the pressure triggers a collapse down the order. 92 needed from 54 balls
SL 64/3 in 10 overs: Asalanka welcomes Hardik with a resounding blow as his massive slog goes way back into the midwicket stands. Hardik does well to come back and operates with a slew of slower ones and short balls to keep the runs in check. At the halfway stage, Sri Lanka needs 101 in 10 overs.
SL 55/3 in 9 overs: Chahal piles the pressure on Asalanka and Bandara. Varies his pace well and Asalanka is having a tough time in choosing between going on the front foot or standing back in the crease. Excellent phase of play for India.
SL 52/3 in 8 overs: Bhuvneshwar to Fernando. OUT! Pulls straight to Samson at midwicket! Dhawan's juggling act works again as Bhuvneshwar's lack of pace flails Fernando. Samson is set well at the deep and does not need to move an inch as he packs the opener. Sri Lanka once again handing this away to India. Bhuvneshwar finishes the over with a cracking delivery as he cuts through new man Bandara's defense, nearly clipping the stumps on the way. Avishka Fernando c Samson b Kumar 26 (23b 3x4)
Bhuvi is back
SL 50/2 in 7 overs: Chahal to de Silva. OUT! Castles him with a snorter! Chahal hits the length and the ball straightens back to clip the top of off. de Silva is flummoxed and plays all around it and India gets a much needed breakthrough. What a start for the leggie. Dhananjaya de Silva b Chahal 9 (10b 1x4)
SL 46/2 in 6 overs: Varun unleashes a few tricks from his armoury and keeps the batters back in the crease with some sharp deliveries tailing in. Just two runs for SL to finish the Powerplay and it's a good start for Varun on debut.
Here's the debutant!
Varun Chakravarthy into the attack.
SL 44/1 in 5 overs:
Runs continue to flow for the Lankans. de Silva joins the board after an iffy start as Krunal runs one down line. de Silva clears his front leg and lofts it over mid-on to finish the over with a boundary.
SL 33/1 in 4 overs: Fernando gets a loose delivery outside off from Chahar and he waltzes it over Suryakumar at point for four. Chahar is a bit low on steam and Fernando doubles up with another strong blow down the ground for another boundary. Good recovery here and a fairly steady start in the chase for Sri Lanka.
SL 25/1 in 3 overs: Krunal to Minod. OUT! Caught at covers this time! Pandya draws Minod with a slower one outside the off-stump and the left-hander mistimes the lofted drive over covers. Easy catch for Suryakumar and Dhawan's bowling change works instantly for India. M inod Bhanuka c Yadav b KH Pandya 10 (7b 2x4)
Krunal Pandya replaces Bhuvneshwar
SL 20/0 in 2 overs: Poor start for Chahar and Pandya drops an easy catch at covers to add to his woes. The ball stops on the pitch and Minod's mistimed shot flies to Pandya who fails to hold onto it. Minod pounces on two looseners from Chahar down leg and puts them over to the fine leg boundary.
Chahar into the attack
SL 10/0 in 1 over: Eerily similar start to the Indian innings as Fernando nicks the first ball over a flying Shaw in the slips. Bhuvneshwar with the away swinger and Fernando opts for a strange flick across the line and gets the leading edge that zips to the boundary. Good start against the moving ball for the batters.
Bhuvneshwar with the new ball for IND
The chase is on as SL's Avishka Fernando and Minod Bhanuka walk out to the middle.
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Sri Lanka got off to a top start as they managed to silence Prithvi Shaw. Samson went about stuff his usual way, got off to a rollicking start before giving it away. India managed an excellent recovery with Suryakumar and Dhawan leading the way but the SL spinners, mainly Hasaranga alongside Chameera varied their pace well once again to trouble the batters. A heap of wickets towards the end and India is perhaps a few runs short here.
IND 164/5 in 20 overs: Top finish for Sri Lanka as Karunaratne keeps it tight. India's score is par with the average first innings total here and could well be labelled a mixed start for the visitor.
IND 155/5 in 19 overs: Chameera to Hardik. OUT! Edged off the fuller delivery and Hardik is on his way. Things are a bit pale for Pandya at the moment. Another brilliant delivery from Chameera as he drills it in with vigour and claims his prize. Excellent over altogether as just eight runs come off the penultimate over. Hardik Pandya c †Bhanuka b Chameera 10 (12b)
IND 147/4 in 18 overs: Udana keeps it tight but Kishan finds a release in pressure and hits a big six over long-on. Not enough on board at the moment you'd guess but the track is losing pace pretty swiftly tonight.
IND 137/4 in 17 overs: Kishan is off the blocks as he creams a loose full toss from Chameera past point. The track seems to get slower by the minute and the batters would hope to cash in on every loose delivery that comes their way.
IND 129/4 in 16 overs: Hasaranga to Suryakumar. OUT! SKY falls right after blasting his way to a fifty with a six. Hasaranga with a slower tossed up delivery outside off and Surya's lapse in concentration forces him to follow it. A huge miscue and the ball sails straight to long-off. Suryakumar Yadav c sub (RTM Mendis) b PWH de Silva 50 (34b 5x4 2x6)
IND 121/3 in 15 overs: Karunaratne to Dhawan. OUT!
Goes for the pull and holes out to deep square leg. The lack of pace does the trick there as Dhawan misses out on a fifty. Paced his innings well to stage India's recovery here. Suryakumar is not fazed by the dismissal. He pounds the bowler with a manic heave over midwicket for six and ensures the momentum is still with India.
Shikhar Dhawan c Bandara b Karunaratne 46 (36b 4x4 1x6)
IND 113/2 in 14 overs: Yadav gets a boundary but Udana does well to regain composure. He keeps the batter guessing with some sly use of the slower ball. Eight runs come off the over.
The groundsmen are up and ready as a quick shower is hovering over the ground.
IND 105/2 in 13 overs: Well, Surya is suddenly dealing with a lean patch against the spinner. Hasaranga darts one outside off but SKY is adamant to play it to midwicket and misses. He gets his timing wrong as well for a couple of bowls and it seems like the bowler is varying his pace.
IND 101/2 in 12 overs: 100 up for India! Dhawan's on the charge as he slog sweeps Dananjaya for a massive strike over the midwicket boundary. He brings up the three-figures by walloping the bowler down the ground with a fierce step-down drive.
IND 87/2 in 11 overs: Surya with the ramp! The confidence that this man possesses is just out of the world at the moment. Karunaratne bowls full and Suryakumar moves outside and scoops it past the keeper. He's in for a big one here!
Karunaratne is back
IND 78/2 in 10 overs: High class from Suryakumar! Udana attempts for a yorker but Suryakumar steps up and converts it into a low full-toss. He stomps it past covers with ease and India is pressing on the pedal once again.
IND 70/2 in 9 overs: Fabulous from Surya! Hasaranga comes in with the delivery tailing into the stumps but Surya sets up well and flicks with authority to the cow corner boundary. SKY is setting up well here. Hasaranga bowls short outside off and Suryakumar quickly pounces on it and slashes it past point for another boundary.
IND 59/2 in 8 overs: Shanaka continues to don his role with the ball beautifully. No room on offer and Suryakumar and Dhawan resort to a couple of singles.
Shanaka into the attack
IND 55/2 in 7 overs: Hasaranga to Samson. OUT! Through his defence off the first ball! Plumb in front and Hasaranga strikes! This is just poor from Samson. He attempts for a nudge against the nagging line off the ball to the on-side and makes a big mistake. He knows right away that he's a goner and a fine delivery to start proceedings for Hasaranga. Sanju Samson lbw b PWH de Silva 27 (20b 2x4 1x6)
Hasaranga into the attack
IND 50/1 in 6 overs: 50 UP FOR INDIA! Samson begins the over with a bang as Dananjaya is pummeled down the ground for a massive six. Keeps it as straight as possible and the bowlers is out of sorts. Samson continues the onslaught with another powerful drive through extra cover as the fielders stay glued to their position. India has recovered well here.
IND 35/1 in 5 overs: Samson SURVIVES! Udana bowls fuller outside off and Samson smashes it straight to covers but is lucky to have a small rebound on it before Avishka holds onto it. Dhawan has a scary minute as well as attempts to clear the off-side ring and mistimes one over the cover region.
Isuru Udana into the attack
IND 29/1 in 4 overs: Dhawan invites with him a full-bloodied sweep that races to the midwicket fence. Dananjay offers another loose one down leg and Dhawan quickly glides it to the fine leg boundary.
Dananjaya into the attack
IND 18/1 in 3 overs: Samson gets room and he slashes instantly over point for four. Chameera pins him down for the rest of the over with some fiery attack on the stumps.
IND 12/1 in 2 overs: Karunaratne brings in swing strai ght on but Samson and Dhawan tread carefully with singles. Karunaratne offers width off the final ball and Dhawan cashes in with a thumping drive through covers.
Karunaratne from the other end
IND 4/1 in 1 over: Chameera to Shaw. OUT! WHAT! A ripping delivery from Chameera. Edged and Shaw goes first ball! What a ball to get first-up on debut. Steaming in and the ball pushes right away from the middle-stump. Shaw pushes out at it with minimal footwork and the ball brushes the outside edge and flies to the keeper. Samson the new man in. Seems to be at ease with the pace of Chameera as he sneaks in a couple of runs with a wristy flick. Prithvi Shaw c †Bhanuka b Chameera 0 (1b)
Dushmantha Chameera with the new ball
Ready for some T20 action! In walk Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw on T20I debut!
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7:53PM IST: The teams are lined up for the national anthem.
7:46PM IST: Interesting to see Samson is denoted as the keeper. Unfortunate for Rahul Chahar to miss out.
TEAMS:
TOSS: SL wins Toss, chooses to field
UPDATE: Shaw and Chakravarthy to make their T20I debuts.
Numbers Game
MATCH PREVIEW
We are back to the fast lanes of T20 cricket and Colombo will play host to teams with contrasting fortunes as the T20 World Cup is simmering in the backdrops. For India's IPL superstars, a golden opportunity is on the cards to reach out for a spot in India's World Cup squad that still seems a bit muddled in the middle-orders while a vast pool of bowlers mean form could well be the decisive factor in filling up the positions. Anyone and everyone are up with a chance.
India's skipper Shikhar Dhawan will know it well. He is yet to be assured of a spot back at the top with Rohit Sharma and with Prithvi Shaw and flexible batters like KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, etc. among other youngsters in the mix - Dhawan has an arduous task in stacking the numbers while marshalling his troops well.
Dhawan's rejuvenation in the shortest format since IPL 2019 has put him back in contention, however, the numbers for the national side remains poor - 1519 runs in 41 IPL matches since 2019 season but a lowly 363 runs in 14 T20Is means the southpaw has some quick catch-up to do in India's final set of matches before hoping for a fine IPL second half.
As for the home side, the final ODI win would have prompted Shanaka and his men to have a lot of 'what ifs' in their minds before buckling up for Sunday night. The Sri Lankans failed to seize the right moments in the second ODI while a batting collapse ruptured its chances in the first ODI. While its batting has improved through the series, a couple of slip-ups in key moments forced it out of contention to win the series.
Shanaka's first stint as captain, however, had its fair glimpses of promise. There was promise in how he operated with the bowlers while bringing himself on in crucial moments in the last two ODIs. He's got some work to do with his batting while the team's spinners could well come to the fore to trouble the Indian batters who have looked iffy except Suryakumar Yadav. All to play for as this series could well be about individuals rather than the team in the lead-up to the World Cup.
HEAD TO HEAD STATS
WHAT THEY SAID
Squads:
When will the 1st T20I between Sri Lanka and India start and where to watch?
The third ODI between India and Sri Lanka will begin at 8pm IST at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The Toss will occur at 7:30pm.
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