Indian cricket team pulled off a brilliant all-round display to beat Sri Lanka in the first T20I match by 43 runs in Pallekele on Saturday, July 27. New captain Suryakumar Yadav led by example by smashing a quick fifty and then bowlers made a late impact to give India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill gave a strong start with crucial knocks and Rishabh Pant scored 49 runs to help India post a challenging total of 213 while batting first. Chasing a tough total, Sri Lanka started brilliantly with Pathum Nissanka smashing a big fifty but a late collapse ended the hosts' innings to 170 in 19.2 overs.
Starting a new era in Indian cricket with a new skipper and head coach at the helm, the new-look team displayed impressive performance with a bat but needed some assistance from Riyan Parag, the seventh bowling option. Sanju Samson and Washington Sundar were left out on the bench despite making an impact in the last Zimbabwe series.
Gill and Jaiswal quickly added 74 runs in powerplay with the latter smashing 40 runs off just 21 balls. Sri Lanka made a strong comeback with Gill and Jaiwsal's wickets in quick succession but Suryakumar kept India on track by smashing a 22-ball fifty.
Suryakumar fell after his quickfire fifty and India lost Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag cheaply. But Rishabh Pant scored a crucial 49 runs after a slow start to help India post their biggest T20I total of 213/7 on Sri Lankan soil. The fit-again Matheesha Pathirana bagged four wickets for 40 for the home side.
Sri Lanka openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis were also off to a strong start with an 84-run stand inside the first nine overs. Arshdeep Singh gave India a breakthrough with Mendis' wicket who scored 45 runs and then the hosts' innings collapsed.
Nissanka kept the game alive by top-scoring with 79 runs but Sri Lanka kept losing wickets from one end. Parag finished with two back-to-back wickets and produced the best figures of three for five for India. Suryakumar bagged the Player of the Match for scoring 58 runs off just 26 balls with the help of eight fours and two sixes.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
India Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Riyan Parag, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
