Pune: Dasun Shanka-led Sri Lankan team defeated Hardik Pandya’s Team India in the second T20I by 16 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The fans got to witness extremely thrilling action in both innings and in the end, the visitors managed to level the series 1-1.
The Lankan Lions were invited to bat first and with the help of their skippers fifty they managed to put 206 runs on board. Dasun Shanaka (56) smashed the fastest T20I fifty by a Sri Lankan player, it came only in 20 balls. Kusal Mendis (52) played a crucial role too.
Team India didn’t get a perfect start to the huge chase as they lost the first four wickets inside the powerplay. Suryakumar Yadav (51) and Axar Patel (65) almost turned tabled on the visitors but their eventual departure brought SL back into the game. Shivam Mavi(26) played a good cameo too for the team.
However, Dasun Shanaka only gave 4 runs in the final over when IND needed 21 and led his side to victory with both bat and ball. He dismissed both set batters Axar Patel and Shivam Mavi in the same over and defended the target successfully.
The victory is huge for Sri Lanka as they end a long losing streak. They were unable to beat India in India in the last 11 T20Is and the win over Hardik Pandya and the company provided them with the much-awaited victory. They also became the first team to defeat Team India under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 206/6 in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 52, Dasun Shanaka 56 not out, Charith Asalanka 37, Pathum Nissanka 33; Umran Malik 3-48, Axar Patel 2-24) beat India 190/8 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 51, Axar Patel 65, Shivam Mavi 26; Dasun Shanaka 2-4, Kasun Rajitha 2-22, Dilshan Madushanka 2-45) by 16 runs
