The cumulative bowling figures of India’s quicks in the second T20I in Pune on Thursday read 12-0- 151-3. After such an indisciplined showing by their fast bowlers, it would have been unfair had India still managed to scrape through.
Sri Lanka ensured it didn’t happen.
Riding on two blinders from opener Kusal Mendis (52 off 31 balls) and captain Dasun Shanaka (56 not out off 22 balls), the visitors smashed 206/6 after being inserted in. Thereafter, their pacers made fine use of the little bit of assistance that was there in the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium pitch to rock India’s top order. It eventually helped Sri Lanka to win by 16 runs and level the series 1-1.
While Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Mavi were indisciplined with the ball, Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha were on target as their early inroads played a huge role to restrict India to 190/8.
Arshdee p, retur ning in place of Harshal Patel, Mavi and even Umran Malik (3/48) — though he worked up good pace — were not only extremely inconsistent with their lines and lengths, but also gifted Sri Lanka with as many as seven free hits.
Arshdeep, who had a nightmarish game, alone bowled five of those seven no-balls with Mavi and Umran bowling one each. Agreed, the small ground and the pitch being more of a belter — even though the new ball moved a little bit — made the bowlers’ task tougher. If not for Axar and Yuzvendra Chahal’s economic spells, Sri Lanka could well have gone closer to around 220-230.
Importantly, Sri Lankan bowlers didn’t bowl a single no-ball, which also made a difference.
India’s Umran Malik celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga in Pune on Thursday. PTI photo
The Indian batters’ frailties against the moving ball aren’t at all new. And on this occasion, left-armer Madushanka and Rajitha exploited their weaknesses.
With the new ball doing a bit, Rajitha brought one in that uprooted the in-form Ishan Kishan’s off-stump.
Shubman Gill’s struggle continued as this time, he perished off a leading edge that popped up towards mid-on, as Rajitha picked up his second.
Debutant Rahul Tripathi, a replacement for the injured Sanju Samson, got off the mark in international cricket with a nicely-placed off-drive for four. But just a tad bit of movement from Madushanka was good enough to send Tripathi back.
The onus was on captain Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav then. But Pandya, too, couldn’t last long, nicking one that was well taken by wicketkee per Mendis off Chamika Karunaratne.
India looked down and out at 57/5 in the 10th over. But Surya (51) and Axar unleashed a barrage of sixes in the 14th and 15th overs in particular to put the pressure back in the Sri Lankan camp.
With the dew making its effect felt, the pitch too started looking merciless for the bowlers and all of a sudden, India were on top thanks to Surya and Axar.
However, Madushanka varied his pace to strike again in his second spell, forcing Surya to miscue one and depart. The game, though, was still alive as Mavi (26) did his best to support Axar and compensate with the bat.
But Shanaka got it right with the ball too, having Axar (65 off 31 balls) hole out at the deep to put paid to India’s hopes in the final over.
Earlier, Mendis took the Sri Lankans off to a flier with his exhilarating strokeplay. Four no-balls were already bowled inside the first four overs — three by Arshdeep in his first over — which also helped Sri Lanka’s cause as they were scoring at a rate close to 12 at that stage.
Skipper Pandya soon turned to Axar, who tightened the screws along with Chahal. Sri Lanka were losing the plot in the middle overs, but just when it mattered, Shanaka delivered.
He should have departed when on 30 had Arshdeep not over-stepped in the 19th over.
But following that letoff, Shanaka dealt in sixes to score Sri Lanka’s fastest T20I fifty ever, in just 20 balls, eclipsing Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
