Digital desk, Pune. Sri Lanka defeated India by 16 runs in the second match of three T20 series played at the Maharashtra Cricket Stadium in Pune. With this, the three match series has now reached a level of 1-1 and now the final and deciding match of the series will be played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. Chasing the target of 207 runs, the Indian team got off to a very poor start and the team had lost 5 wickets for a total score of just 57 runs, in which Ishaan Kishan (2 runs), Shubman Gill (5 runs), Rahul Tripathi (5 runs), the wickets of Hardik Pandya (12 runs) and Deepak Hooda (9 runs) were included.
Following this, Suryakumar Yadav and Akshar Patel took the lead for the sixth wicket and shared a 91-run partnership to get the team back into the match, but in 15 overs, Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Suryakumar Yadav and brought Lanka back into the match. . Although Akshar kept the front of one side and kept the team in the match by sharing a 41-run partnership with Shivam Mavi who came to bat at number eight, but in the final over captain Shanka sacked Akshar Patel and wrecked Indian hopes. . For India, Suryakumar Yadav scored 51 runs off 36 balls with the help of 3 sixes and as many fours, while Akshar Patel scored 65 runs off 31 balls with the help of 6 sixes and 3 fours. For Sri Lanka, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasoor Ranjitha and captain Dasun Shanka each took two wickets while Chamika Karunaratne and Wanindu Hasaranga each took one wicket.
Kushal Mendis Kusal Mendis and Dasun Shanka played fiery innings
Before choosing to bat after losing the toss, Sri Lanka got off to a great start where the starting pairing of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis shared a 50-ball 80-run partnership. Chahal brought out Kusal Mendis LBW in the team’s first strike, he scored 52 runs off 31 balls with the help of 4 sixes and 3 fours. Apart from this, captain Dasun Shanka took the team score to over 200 as he played a fierce tackle in the last over. Shanka played a fiery innings half-century of 56 runs off 22 balls aided by six sixes and two fours. Apart from this, Pathum Nissanka scored 33 and Charit Aslanka scored 37 runs. For India, Umran took three wickets, Akshar took two and Chahal took one wicket.