Pallekele (Sri Lanka), Jul 28 (PTI) Indian bowling unit repeated its happy knack of effecting a collapse at the back-end as Sri Lanka ended with a below-par 161 for 9 in the second T20 International here on Sunday. On Saturday, Sri Lanka lost eight wickets for 21 runs while chasing and on Sunday, the islanders lost six wickets for 31 runs in their last 30 balls.
Despite scoring 80 in the first 10 overs and in a position to accelerate, Charith Asalanka's side lost its way, managing just 81 runs in the back-10 as Hardik Pandya's (2/23 in 2 overs) change of pace and Ravi Bishnoi's (3/26 in 4 overs) fast googlies did the trick.
This was after Pathum Nissanka (32 off 24 balls) and veteran southpaw Kusal Perera (54 off 34 balls) had added 54 runs for the second wicket in six overs to set the platform only to find batters coming after them fritter it away.
As the Indian bowlers tightened the noose around the Lankan batters, the desperation to break the shackles saw the likes of all-rounders Dasun Shanaka (0) and Wanindu Hasaranga (0) playing indiscreet shots as frown on interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya's face was so palpable.
From 130 for 2 in 15 overs, Sri Lanka suddenly had a middle-order collapse, twice in two days where they lost four wickets in a space of 10 deliveries, which also included a run-out.
Suryakumar Yadav's bowling plans aided by Gautam Gambhir's back-room brainstorming was evident as Bishnoi, who seemed to struggle against Sri Lankan top-order with more right-handers attacking his wrong 'un, was kept out of the attack.
He started with the young Riyan Parag (0/30 in 4 overs), who had 10 dot balls and five boundaries but was asked to just attack the stumps with occasional turn while Axar Patel (2/30 in 4 overs) continued with his wicket-to-wicket dart-like accuracy.
The ball gripped off the surface while travelling at a decent pace leaving batters confused whether to come forward or stay put on their stance.
Once Bishnoi came in, the change he made from the previous night was varying the pace of his googlies -- fastest for Nissanka, slightly slower for Shanaka and flat and low for Hasaranga. PTI KHS UNG KHS 7/21/2024
Brief scores: Sri Lanka: 161/9 in 20 overs (Kusal Perera 54, Pathum Nissanka 32; Ravi Bishnoi 3/26, Hardik Pandya 2/24, Arshdeep Singh 2/24).
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