COLOMBO, July 25: Suryakumar Yadav’s golden run with the bat was beautifully complemented by the Indian bowling unit led by Bhuvneshar Kumar as the visitors outclassed Sri Lanka by 38 runs in the first T20 International here today.
If Surya’s second T20 International half-century — an attractive 50 off 34 balls — ensured a decent total of 164 for 5, Yuzvendra Chahal (1/19 in 4 overs) oozed class while Deepak Chahar (2/24 in 3 overs) and Bhuvneshwar (4/22 in 3.3 overs) picked up wickets when it mattered most, bowling the hosts out for 126 in 18.3 overs
In fact, from 111/4 in the 16th over, Sri Lanka lost their last six wickets for only 15 runs.
In what will be the final international audition before T20 World Cup, Chahal gave his all in presence of IPL star and debutant mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who as per grapevine could be the Indian team management’s choice for the marquee event.
Chahal not only bowled 10 dots apart from the ‘jaffa delivery’ to dislodge Dhanajaya de Silva but also bowled a superb 15th over that turned the course for India with only three runs conceded.
After a whirlwind start in the first two overs, Dhawan introduced Krunal Pandya (1/16 in 2 overs), who quickly removed Minod Bhanuka. Chahal arguably bowled the delivery of the match — a flighted delivery foxing Dhananjaya de Silva (9) to play inside the line to get castled.
Last ODI hero Avishka Fernando (26) also paid for slowness of the track as he tried to pull Bhuvneshwar.
However, debutant Charith Asalanka (44 off 26 balls) had other ideas as he launched into opposition rookie Chakravarthy (1/28 in 4 overs), smoking him for two sixes into cow corner even as his partner Ashen Bandara (9 off 19 balls) struggled at the other end.
Bandara’s misery was ended by slow off-break from Hardik Pandya (1/17 in 2 overs) but Asalanka kept Sri Lanka in contention with some big hits before being dismissed by Chahar.
Earlier, Suryakumar continued his rich vein of form and was supported by useful contributions from skipper Shikhar Dhawan (46 off 38 balls) along with Ishan Kishan (20 not out off 14 balls) at the back-end.
Skipper Dhawan added 62 with Surya in eight overs to provide a solid launch-pad but the latter’s dismissal surely cost India 20 extra runs.
But looking at the partnership, it was evident that the junior partner was batting in a more assured manner, having already sealed his place in the T20 World Cup team while the skipper is still fighting what looks like a losing battle to jostle inside that jam-packed top-order in the main squad.(PTI)
Scoreboard
India
Prithvi Shaw c M Bhanuka b Chameera 0
Shikhar Dhawan c Ashen Bandara b C Karunaratne 46
Sanju Samson lbw b W Hasaranga 27
Suryakumar Yadav c (sub) R Mendis b W Hasaranga 50
Hardik Pandya c M Bhanuka b Chameera 10
Ishan Kishan not out 20
Krunal Pandya not out 3
Extras: (LB-2, W- 6) 8
Total: (For 5 wickets in 20 Overs) 164
Fall of Wickets :0-1, 51-2, 113-3, 127-4, 153-5.
Bowling: Dushmantha Chameera 4-0-24-2,Chamika Karunaratne 4-0-34-1, Akila Dananjaya 3-0-40-0,Isuru Udana 4-0-32-0, Wanindu Hasaranga 4-0-28-2,Dasun Shanaka 1-0-4-0.
Sri Lanka
Avishka Fernando c Samson b Bhuvneshwar 26
Minod Bhanuka c Suryakumar Yadav b Krunal Pandya 10
Dhananjaya de Silva b Chahal 9
Charith Asalanka c Prithvi Shaw b D Chahar 44
Ashen Bandara b Hardik Pandya 9
Dasun Shanaka st Ishan Kishan b Chakravarthy 16
Wanindu Hasaranga b D Chahar 0
Chamika Karunaratne b Bhuvneshwar 3
Isuru Udana c Suryakumar Yadav b Bhuvneshwar 1
Dushmantha Chameera c Krunal Pandya b Bhuvneshwar 1
Akila Dananjaya not out 1
Extras (w 6) 6
Total (All out in 18.3 Overs) 126
Fall of Wickets: 1-23, 2-48, 3-50, 4-90, 5-111, 6-111, 7-122, 8-124, 9-125
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3.3-0-22-4, Deepak Chahar 3-0-24-2, Krunal Pandya 2-0-16-1, Varun Chakravarthy 4-0-28-1, Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-19-1, Hardik Pandya 2-0-17-1.
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