SL vs IND 2nd T20I Commentary - Kandy (28 July 2024)

Slower one, on the back of a length, Rishabh Pant hops on the back foot and tucks it towards deep square leg for a single. Just 5 needed off 11 balls now.

FOUR! SCORES LEVEL! Pandya is in a hurry to finish off things now! Matheesha Pathirana serves right into the hitting zone, on a fuller length, around off, Hardik Pandya clears the front foot to open up the off side, uses his bottom hand and slams it over the leaping mid off fielder for a boundary.

FOUR! DONE AND DUSTED! Hardik Pandya wraps things in style for India. Pathirana bowls at 146 kph, but provides width outside off, on a good length, Hardik Pandya stays leg side of the ball and slashes hard at it and manages to find the gap between deep third and backward point for a boundary. India seal the series by 2-0.

FOUR! Swept away! Wanindu Hasaranga drops a friendly half volley on the line of the stumps, Hardik Pandya reads it nicely, sits on his knee and sweeps it past deep mid-wicket for a boundary. 

Good length around the off stump. Pandya rocks back and cuts it through cover for a run.

SIX! Yashasvi Jaiswal is on the charge! Full in length, at middle and leg, Yashasvi Jaiswal skips down the track, and again takes the aerial route, and spanks it behind deep mid-wicket for a six.

OUT! TAKEN! Jaiswal perishes but he has played a magnificent inning of 30 from just 15 deliveries, doing what was asked of him. Hasaranga bowls it slower through the air, providing more revolutions to this one, lands it on the good length around off, Yashasvi Jaiswal uses the depth of the crease and looks to attack with a pull shot. He goes airborne again but doesn't get the timing right this time around. He fails to clear deep mid-wicket fence. Dasun Shanaka stationed there in the deep times his jump to perfection and takes a sharp catch, just before the ropes.

Tossed up on leg, Rishabh Pant strides ahead, flicks it to long on for a single.

SIX! SHOT! Short and on middle, Hardik Pandya reads the length early, goes back quickly and pulls it mercilessly behind deep mid-wicket for a cracking six. Hasaranga has gone for 36 runs in his quota of 2 overs. Another ordinary outing for him with the ball. India just a hit away from the series win now.

SIX! Punished! Matheesha Pathirana spills it down the leg side and overpitches it, Suryakumar Yadav accesses his productive area by simply using the pace of the ball, and lifting it behind deep fine leg for a six.

OUT! CAUGHT! Pathirana strikes back strongly! He spears in a fuller-length delivery at 146 kph, around the off stump line, Suryakumar Yadav gets low and looks to loft it downtown but fails to get his bat properly underneath the ball. He does go through the shot but toe ends it towards long on where the experienced Sri Lankan, Dasun Shanaka runs forward from long on, settles under it and takes a simple catch. Suryakumar Yadav departs on 26 (12). Pathirana breaks the 39-run stand. But is it too little too late? Pretty much so!

Back of a length, a slower one, outside off, Pandya slashes hard and inside edges to the keeper.

A slower bumper on the off stump. Pandya opts to let it pass.

Length ball, at 146 kph, on the leg stump. Pandya flicks it to widish long on for a couple of runs to get off the mark.

Full length ball outside the off stump. Pandya clears his front leg and hoicks it very hard, but ends up getting an inside edge towards deep backward square leg for one. 24 runs needed off 18 for India.

FOUR! Skillfully done! Theekshana pushes it through, full and around off, Suryakumar Yadav fetches it from outside off and sweeps it to the right of deep backward square leg for a boundary.

FOUR! Hit to the left of deep backward square leg this time but the result is the same. Suryakumar Yadav is toying with the field here. Thigh high full toss, on off, Suryakumar Yadav does not miss out on this freebie as he sweeps it through square leg for four more runs.

FOUR! Make that three in three for Suryakumar Yadav! Another delivery gone wrong by Theekshana, low full toss, on middle, Suryakumar Yadav loses his shape a bit as he swings for the sweep. Gets more of a top edge but it lands well wide of the deep mid-wicket fielder and it beats the fielder there to his right despite the dive for a boundary.

On a fullish length, on middle and leg, Suryakumar Yadav sweeps it along the ground to deep backward square leg for one.

Quicker and flatter at the pads, on a nagging length, Yashasvi Jaiswal misses the flick and wears it on the pads. The ball rolls on the leg side for a leg bye.

Very full by Theekshana, on middle, Suryakumar Yadav sweeps it again to deep backward square leg for a single. The Indian skipper will keep the strike. Theekshana goes for 15 in his second and final over. 33 needed for India off 24 balls.

SIX! Yashasvi Jaiswal greets Wanindu Hasaranga with a six! Hasaranga floats it up, full and on middle, Yashasvi Jaiswal reaches out in front and nails the slog sweep. Hits it flat and over deep square leg for a six.

FOUR! Innovative and effective! Hasaranga under pressure. A six followed by a four. Hasaranga pulls the length back and attacks the stumps, Yashasvi Jaiswal reverse his stance and reverse slaps it past backward point for a boundary.

Slower through the air, fuller and on middle, Yashasvi Jaiswal helps the sweep to deep backward square leg for a run.

FOUR! Suryakumar Yadav brings out the sweep now! Turning out to be a great over for India, 15 runs off the over already. Too full by Hasaranga, on middle, Suryakumar Yadav rolls his wrists on the ball and gets a good stride in to sweep it to the left of deep square leg for a four.

Loops it up, full and on the pads, swept to deep backward square leg for one by Suryakumar Yadav.

A loud shout for LBW but the umpire shakes his head! Wanindu Hasaranga is pretty confident and Charith Asalanka takes the review. The only thing that can save Yashasvi Jaiswal here is if the ball has pitched outside leg. Has it? Let's see. Hasaranga gives the ball nice air, full and it is the googly, on middle, Yashasvi Jaiswal gets tempted by the flight and goes for the slog sweep. Misses and gets pinged on the back leg. There is no bat involved but the Ball Tracking shows the ball to have pitched outside leg. Sri Lanka lose their review.

OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! Maheesh Theekshana strikes with his first delivery! A golden duck for Sanju Samson. Theekshana begins from over the wicket and slips in the carrom ball, on a nagging length, at the stumps and the ball just skids through. Sanju Samson stays rooted in the crease and fails to pick the carrom ball. He plays outside the line of the ball and the ball sneaks past the inside edge to rattle into the stumps. Samson departs for a duck! 

This goes the other way! Theekshana bowls it short in length, around off, Suryakumar Yadav plays for the ball coming into him but this holds its line and nips away to beat the bat. Suryakumar gets squared up but does not lose his balance. 

Slanting in, fuller and quicker, whipped to wide long on for a single by Suryakumar Yadav to get off the mark.

Theekshana changes his angle of attack as he comes from around the wicket and dishes it out on a fullish length. Yashasvi Jaiswal gets down for the sweep but misses.

Good stop! Theekshana bowls it flat and short, on off, Yashasvi Jaiswal changes his stance and brings out the switch hit. Hits it along the ground to backward point where Matheesha Pathirana dives to his left and takes the sting out of the ball. Just a single off it then.

Tries to bowl it on a fullish length does Theekshana but it comes out as a low full toss, on middle, Suryakumar Yadav whips it straight to mid-wicket. A brilliant first over by Theekshana, 2 runs and a wicket off it. At the end of the Powerplay, India are 14/1.

Shanaka starts from over the wicket and gets a hint of inward shape, full and on leg, Yashasvi Jaiswal misses the flick shot and wears it on the front pad.

DROPPED! Matheesha Pathirana never looked comfortable under it! Shanaka bowls it on a full length, on off, Yashasvi Jaiswal skips down the track and looks to go down the ground. Airs it high in the night sky over mid on. Matheesha Pathirana turns around but fails to get anywhere close to it. The ball swirls away from Pathirana as he puts in a dive but the ball falls well wide of him. Two runs taken. Yashasvi Jaiswal and India are away!

FOUR! Another lapse in the field. Fuller and angled across, on off, Yashasvi Jaiswal nails the drive to the right of mid off and Charith Asalanka there is late to put the dive in. The ball rockets under his dive for a boundary.

FOUR! No sighters needed for Yashasvi Jaiswal! Shaping back in a bit, on middle, on a back of a length, Yashasvi Jaiswal clears his front leg and swings for the pull. Gets it high on the bat but gets enough bat on it to clear mid-wicket and it skips away off the turf for a boundary.

Big swing and a miss! Slower by Shanaka, on a length, around leg, Yashasvi Jaiswal swings himself off his feet as he throws his kitchen sink at it but connects with thin air. Kusal Mendis scores an underarm throw at the batting end. The third umpire is called into action. The replays show that Jaiswal is in before the stumps are disturbed.

In the air...but safe! Another slower delivery by Dasun Shanaka, at the stumps, on a length, Yashasvi Jaiswal leaves nothing in the tank and swings to go back over the bowler's head. Gets a thickish outside edge that sails over backward point. Maheesh Theekshana gives it a chase and slides to keep it down to two.