India in the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajay Jadeja (all retired) and rested fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, had enough firepower to thrash Sri Lanka by 43 runs in the first T20 International at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy last night.
Chasing a target of 214 was no easy task for Sri Lanka and as usual a one-man show in Pathum Nissanka (79) was not enough to carry the home team through as India bowled out the home side for 170 in 19.2 overs.
The end result was that Sri Lanka crashed from 140 for 1 to 170 losing nine batters for just 30 runs inside 5.1 overs with Nissanka’s exit.
Apart from co-opener Kusal Mendis who made 45, the rest of the Sri Lankan batting had no hiding place as wickets kept falling with India’s spinner Riyan Parag grabbing three wickets in just eight balls.
Kamindu Mendis (12), Charith Asalanka (0), Dasun Shanaka (0) and Wanindu Hasaranga (2) were among the failures as India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Earlier India amassed a total of 213 for 7 in the 20 overs after a rousing start to their innings with openers Yashaswi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill putting on 74 runs for the first wicket in the first six power-play overs.
Jaiswal made 40 in 21 balls with five fours and two sixes while Gill struck 34 in only 16 balls with the help of six fours and one six.
Their stand broke when in the last ball of the sixth over of the innings Shubman Gill was dismissed by fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka.
But Gill’s dismissal brought no relief to Sri Lanka or the bowlers as Suryakumar Yadav hammered an imposing 58 in only 26 balls with eight fours and two sixes after joining Jaiswal at the crease.
Jaiwsal fell for 40 but Yadav was unstoppable in his approach making a mess of the Sri Lanka bowlers with Madushanka, Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana conceding 136 runs combined in 11 overs.
After Yadav was out, middle order batter Rishab Pant heaped more misery on the Sri Lanka bowlers as he chipped in with 49 made from 33 balls with six fours and one six.
Scores:
India: 213 for 7 wickets in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 40, Shubman Gill 34, Suryakumar Yadav 58, Rishabh Pant 49, Dilshan Madushanka 1 for 45, Asitha Fernando 1 for 47, Wanindu Hasaranga 1 for 28, Matheesha Pathirana 4/40)
Sri Lanka: 170 in 19.2 overs (Pathum Nissanka 79, Kusal Mendis 45, Kusal Perera 20, Kamindu Mendis 12, Arshdeep Singh 2 for 24, Axar Patel 2 for 38, Riyan Parag 3 for 5)
