If it was a collapse of nine for 30 on Saturday, the hosts lost seven for 31 in 30 deliveries in the second T20I on Sunday to go from 130 for two after 15 overs to 161 for nine when their misery came to a halt
India's Mohammed Siraj (L) celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's captain Kusal Mendis (Pic: AFP)
For the second night running, the bottom fell out of Sri Lanka’s batting as they again frittered away a position of promise at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. If it was a collapse of nine for 30 on Saturday, the hosts lost seven for 31 in 30 deliveries in the second T20I on Sunday to go from 130 for two after 15 overs to 161 for nine when their misery came to a halt.
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Kusal Perera’s attacking half-century, coupled with a cameo from Pathum Nissanka and successive half-century stands for the second and third wickets, had kept the Lankans in the hunt on being put in by Suryakumar Yadav—play started 45 minutes late due to a wet outfield—when an otherwise tardy Hardik Pandya brought India back into the contest with the scalps of Ramesh Mendis and Perera in the 16th over.
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India got on top thereafter, Suryakumar using his assortment of spinners to telling effect. Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel and Riyan Parag took five for 86 from 12 overs on a used surface where the ball gripped and turned, making up for several loose offerings in the first half and another disappointing fielding effort.
Yashasvi Jaiswal survived a tough chance second-ball off Dasun Shanaka and smashed a four off the next before the rain returned with a vengeance, forcing him and opening partner Sanju Samson—Shubman Gill woke up with neck spasms—into the hut with India six without loss after three deliveries.
Brief scores
Sri Lanka 161-9 in 20 overs (K Perera 53, P Nissanka 32; R Bishnoi 3-26, A Patel 2-30, A Singh 2-24, H Pandya 2-23) v India (scores incomplete)
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