Hosts India went down fighting in a high-scoring second T20I of the three-T20I series at MCA Stadium, Pune on January 5. Lower-order batter Axar Patel and Shivam Mavi entertained the crowd with exceptional hitting till the final over but in the end Sri Lanka won the game by 16 runs. Despite losing half the side for 57 runs before the halfway stage, half-centuries from Suryakumar Yadav, Axar and cameo from Mavi took India close to the target but not over the line. This is India’s first T20I loss to Sri Lanka at home after 2016.
Sri Lankan pacer Kasun Rajitha started off with the wicket of openers Ishan Kishan (2) and Shubman Gill (5). Debutant Rahul Tripathi (5) could not do damage and edged one to the wicketkeeper off Dilshan Madushanka in the third over. Skipper Hardik Pandya (12) hit a few good shots but edged one off Chamika Karunaratne.
After the powerplay overs, India had 39 runs on the board. Contrary to Suryakumar's style of play, he struggled to time the ball and scored at a strike rate below 100 till the halfway stage. The wicket of Deepak Hooda (9) in the 10th over created more pressure. Axar got off the mark with a six and got dropped off the next delivery. At the halfway stage, India were 64/5.
In the 12th over, Sri Lanka missed an easy opportunity to run Axar out. After two reprieves, Axar took the fearless approach and dealt in fours and sixes. The southpaw hit three sixes in a row off Hasaranga. Suryakumar hit a six in the same over as India scored 26 runs in the 14th over.
Axar got to his half-century from just 20 deliveries. In the next over, Suryakumar got to his half-century with a six as well. He took 33 deliveries to reach the milestone. However, he could not continue and got out trying to play a lofted shot. He scored 51 runs from 36 deliveries including three fours and as many sixes.
As required run rate got more challenging, Mavi joined Axar with big hits. He hit Madushanka for two sixes and one four in the 18th over. Rajitha bowled a brilliant penultimate over leaving 21 runs to defend in the final over for skipper Dasun Shanaka. Shanaka got the wickets of Axar and Mavi in the final over as India managed to post 190/8 and lost the match by 17 runs. Mavi's 15-ball 26 cameo included two fours and as many sixes. Axar finished as India's top-scorer in the run chase with 65 runs from 31 balls including three fours and six sixes.
Earlier, Pandya won the toss and opted to field first. The decision did not turn out to be a good one. Arshdeep had an off day and bowled as many as three no-balls in his first over. In the first four overs, Sri Lankan openers had scored 47 runs. Indian spinners stopped the flow of boundaries during fielding restrictions. After six overs, Sri Lanka had 55 runs on the board.
Mendis got to his half-century from 27 deliveries in the eighth over. Chahal broke the opening partnership with the wicket of Mendis in the ninth over. Chahal trapped the opener in front of the stumps. He scored 52 runs from 31 deliveries including three fours and four sixes. In the next over, Malik got the better of Bhanuka Rajapaksa with his sheer pace. Rajapaksa got bowled for a single-digit score. At the halfway stage, Sri Lanka had 89 runs on the board.
After bowling a couple of economical overs, left-arm spinner Axar got the wicket of Pathum Nissanka. The opener scored 33 runs from 35 deliveries including four boundaries. In his last over, Axar struck again and got the wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva for a single-digit score. Charith Asalanka took on Chahal and hit him for two consecutive sixes. Malik got the big wicket of Asalanka in the 16th over followed by Hasaranga's for a golden duck. Asalanka scored 37 runs from 19 deliveries including four towering sixes.
With six wickets down and 138 runs from 16 overs, Sri Lanka were expected to post a total around 180-190. However, Malik and Arshdeep overstepped and gave the big-hitters plenty opportunities to score. Mavi bowled the last over. Shanaka hit three sixes off the final over and got to his half-century from just 20 balls, fastest for a Sri Lankan batter in the format.
Shanaka remained unbeaten for 56 off 22 deliveries including two fours and six sixes. On the other end, Karunaratne scored a run-a-ball 11. With the help of unbeaten 68-run partnership from last 24 deliveries, Sri Lanka posted 206/6. It was the third time Sri Lanka posted a total in excess of 200 against India. Also India bowled as many as seven no-balls which is a record for a Test-playing nation. Arshdeep bowled the most no-balls as he overstepped five times in two overs he bowled.
