Pune (TIP)- Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel struck blistering fifties in a shocking 91-run stand, albeit in a dropping trigger as Sri Lanka tightened the screws within the nick of time to beat India by 16 runs within the second T20I and degree the three-match sequence 1-1 right here on Thursday, January 5. Skipper Dasun Shanaka made a rear-guard unbeaten 56 off 22 balls, whereas wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis hit a 31-ball 52 to energy Sri Lanka to an imposing 206 for six.

India had a nightmarish begin to their chase slumping to 57 for five earlier than Axar (65 off 31) and Surya (51 off 36) raised hopes of an inconceivable win with a scintillating sixth-wicket stand.

The job grew to become robust as soon as Surya departed within the sixteenth over, however Axar and Shivam Mavi (26 off 15) shared fast 41 runs to deliver down the equation to 21 off the final over.

But Axar’s dismissal within the third ball of the ultimate over was the final nail within the coffin for India.

Chasing the whole, India misplaced openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill within the second over to Kasun Rajitha.

If that was not sufficient debutant Rahul Tripathi sneaked one to Kusal Mendis off Dilshan Madhushanaka within the subsequent over earlier than skipper Hardik Pandya departed an over later as India slumped to 34 for 4 in 4.4 overs. Surya and Deepak Hooda tried to stabilise the innings with a hard-fought 23-run partnership however with the asking charge creeping up, the latter departed in quest of an enormous shot, caught by Dhananjaya de Silva off Hasarnaga de Silva as India misplaced half of their aspect for 57. Surya and Axar tried to up the ante with a sensational 91-run sixth-wicket partnership off simply 40 balls to maintain India afloat after a forgettable begin. Axar was notably extreme on off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana, clobbering the bowler for a 4 and 6 over long-on within the thirteenth over.

It was not simply Theekshana, Hasaranga de Silva too needed to bear the brunt of Axar’s aggression because the left-hander smacked the bowler for a hat-trick of sixes within the 14th over. Axar introduced up his maiden fifty off simply 20 balls with a six of Karunaratne over long-off. Surya adopted go well with, registering one other wonderful fifty with a six off over square-leg off Madhushanaka. The duo raised hopes of a well-known victory but it surely was to not be because the guests pulled the strings simply in time to degree the sequence. Earlier, it was a disastrous efficiency from the Indian bowlers after electing to subject because the Lankan batters went hammer and tongs from the onset. Barring Axar (2/24 from his 4 overs), all different Indian bowlers went for runs. Even although speedster Umar Malik (3/48) picked up three wickets, he too was taken to the cleaners, whereas final match’s hero Mavi (0/53) regarded a pale shadow of himself.

Arshdeep Singh conceded 19 runs of the second over, which included two back-to-back no balls that yielded 17 runs.

Source: PTI