IND vs SL: 1st T20I Review – Dominating India clinch big win
Continuing their winning streak from the West Indies series, Team India clinched the opening T20I of the 3-match series against Sri Lanka at Lucknow on Thursday. The hosts registered a massive 62-run win to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
After being put in to bat first, Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma formed an excellent opening partnership that laid the foundation for an imposing total on the board. Kishan fired on all cylinders with a blazing half century and the way he played the fast bowlers left the visitors hapless on the field. From the other end, Rohit’s 32-ball 44 was the perfect anchoring knock, at a strike rate of 137.50.
By the time Sri Lanka dismissed Rohit in the 12th over, India were already cruising beyond the 100-run mark. It was Shreyas Iyer who then came in and continued the momentum, smashing a fluent fifty in tough circumstances and showing brute power towards the end. Kishan was the next one to fall in the 17th over, following which India finished with 199/2 in their 20 overs.
The Sri Lanka batters could not get their chase going, with Pathum Nissanka falling on the very first delivery. Wickets then kept falling at regular intervals, pushing the Lankans further on the back foot. Charith Asalanka shone in the end with an unbeaten half century but it wasn’t nearly enough to take Sri Lanka across the finish line. Dushmantha Chameera’s cameo down the order reduced the margin of defeat to 62 runs as Rohit rotated the bowlers splendidly.
Top performers
Ishan Kishan
Young Kishan finally got his touch back after some poor outings against the West Indies. He made up for it with a brilliant 89 off just 56 balls, including 10 fours and 3 sixes. It was his explosive knock that swung the batting momentum completely in India’s favour right from the get-go.
Shreyas Iyer
In the absence of Virat Kohli, Shreyas was given the promotion to No. 3. The 27-year-old was in and out of the side against the West Indies, but he showed a lot of intent towards the end of the innings to get his strike rate up. Shreyas got to his fifty in just 25 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes.
What next for the two teams?
With the series on the line, Sri Lanka have a bigger task at hand going into the 2nd T20I at Dharamshala on February 26, Saturday. They need to bounce back with a stronger all-rounder performance, while India would want to test out the middle order that didn’t get an opportunity tonight.
