Sri Lanka can’t stop India in Colombo
India cantered to a six wicket victory in their T20I tri-series clash with Sri Lanka at the Premadasa stadium on Monday evening.
Sri Lanka got off to a great start on the back of another fine fifty from Kusal Mendis at the top of the order.
Mendis hit 55 off 38 balls but could have done with more assistance from the top order with Danushka Gunathilaka (17) and Upul Tharanga (22) not making the most of their starts.
Washington Sundar (2/21) and Shardul Thakur (4/27) pulled things back really nicely for India who at one stage looked to be staring down the barrel of a big score.
Having been 96 for 2 in the 11th over of the game shortened to 19 overs a side Sri Lanka could only reach 152 for 9 in their allotment of overs.
India would make heavy weather of the chase with spinner Akila Dananjaya getting Sri Lanka back into the game by removing both India openers in the space of three balls leaving the tourists 22 for 2 after three overs and one ball.
Suresh Raina (27) and Lokesh Rahul (18) steadied matters for India with a 40 run third wicket partnership.
Raina’s stay at the crease ended when he gave Nuwan Pradeep the charge but could only find Sri Lanka skipper Thisara Perera.
Rahul’s end came at a terrible time for India and in a bizarre manner as the batsman trod on his stumps setting off for a run to gift Jeevan Mendis a wicket.
That left Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik with a lot of work to do to get India over the line, they came together with 67 runs needed to win off 55 balls.
Karthik showed intent from the moment he came out and with Pandey (42*) willing to innovate India soon took control again.
The pair brought up their fifty partnership off just 38 balls and had the tourists cruising to victory as the death overs beckoned.
Sri Lanka’s seamers bowled far too short and Karthik (39*) in particular would free his arms slapping Pradeep for successive fours before stroking the winning runs through point.
Thisara suffered his seventh T20I defeat in seven games as Sri Lanka skipper while India stay at the top of the tri-series table.
Latest
-
NewsHeather Knight: Used wicket is not ideal for England’s Test with India
The first Test starts at Bristol’s County Ground on Wednesday.
-
NewsAssistant coach Graham Thorpe urges England batsmen to show their ‘desperation’
The Test team are mulling over a first home series defeat in seven years after collapsing against New Zealand at Edgbaston.
-
NewsOllie Robinson set for return to action with Sussex second XI
Robinson is currently suspended from international cricket.
-
NewsThe key questions for England after the series loss to New Zealand
The Black Caps inflicted a first series defeat on home soil since 2014 with victory at Edgbaston.
-
NewsChris Woakes is an all-round success as Bears give Derbyshire sore heads
Woakes took two for 38 and struck an unbeaten 13 off five balls in the away win at Derby.
-
NewsJoe Root will not panic over England’s poor batting at Edgbaston
The Black Caps dislodged India as the world’s number one Test side as a result of their eight-wicket win at Edgbaston.
-
-
NewsOn this day in 2013: David Warner suspended for altercation with Joe Root
The Australia batsman was banned from all cricket up to the first Ashes Test that summer and fined almost £7,000.
-
NewsEngland staring at New Zealand series defeat after day three of second Test
Sri Lanka were the last touring side to deal England a bloody nose on their own soil.