Alongside another collapse from the Sri Lankan batting line-up, rain made matters easier for Team India in the second T20I in Pallekele on Sunday.
Chasing a revised target of 78 in eight overs following a long rain delay after Sri Lanka were restricted to 161/9, Yashasvi Jaiswal (30 off 15 balls) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (26 off 12 balls) made fine use of the wet conditions to effect a seven-wicket win (DLS method) for India as they sealed the series with a game to spare.
Maheesh Theekshana had removed Sanju Samson, who came in for Shubman Gill (down with a neck spasm), in the first ball he faced. But the conditions weren’t ideal for the bowlers after the rain, while the equation wasn’t out of reach at the same time for the Indian batters.
And then, Jaiswal and skipper Surya ensured they cashed in on their current form before Hardik Pandya completed the formalities with a nine-ball unbeaten 22. It took India just 6.3 overs to reach the target.
Earlier, young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi finished with the best figures among India's bowlers, finishing with 3/26, while quicks Arshdeep Singh and Pandya along with left-arm spinner all-rounder Axar Patel picked up two wickets apiece. Sri Lanka thus lost seven wickets for just 31 runs in the last five overs of their innings on Sunday after losing nine for 30 in Saturday's series opener.
On a used pitch, Indian bowlers weren't finding it easy till Pathum Nissanka (32 off 24 balls), Kusal Perera (53 off 34 balls) and Kamindu Mendis were at the crease. But Pandya removed both Perera and Kamindu in the 16th over, triggering Sri Lanka's collapse before Bishnoi cleaned up Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga off successive deliveries to derail the hosts' innings.
With his double strike, Bishnoi had done what India needed at that stage.
