Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal powered India to a seven-wicket win in the rain-hit second T20 international against Sri Lanka and clinch the series on Sunday.
Chasing a rain-revised target of 78 in eight overs, India raced to victory with nine balls to spare at Kandy’s Pallekele International Stadium.
India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series to mark a strong beginning with their new-age team under Suryakumar and coach Gautam Gambhir.
Stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20 internationals after the team’s World Cup triumph in Barbados last month.
Suryakumar has shown early signs of leading from the front after playing key parts in the two wins including his quickfire 26 in the latest outing.
“We spoke about this before this tournament, what brand of cricket we want to play,” the 33-year-old Suryakumar said.
“Even though it was a shorter target, this is the template we want going ahead.”
Bowlers set up victory after Ravi Bishnoi and Hardik Pandya shared five wickets between them to limit Sri Lanka to 161-9 despite Kusal Perera’s 53.
Sri Lanka collapsed from 130-2 to 140-6 and lost three further wickets, including two in the final over by Axar Patel.
Rain interrupted India’s chase after just three balls and six runs without a wicket lost when intermittent showers kept the players off the field for over an hour.
Play resumed with revised playing conditions and Suryakumar put on 39 runs with left-handed Jaiswal, who smashed 30, after Sanju Samson fell for a duck.
Matheesha Pathirana took down Suryakumar and Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed Jaiswal but the two did the job with their batting attacks.
Pandya finished with two fours in his unbeaten 22 to complete another dominant win after their 43-run triumph in the opener on Saturday.
– Batting flop –
Earlier Suryakumar won a delayed toss due to rain and invited Sri Lanka, led by Charith Asalanka, to bat first.
India struck an early blow with the dismissal of Kusal Mendis for 10 before the right-left handed partnership of Pathum Nissanka, who made 32, Perera, who hit 53, added put on 54 in quick time.
Nissanka departed after being trapped lbw off Bishnoi but Perera kept up the attack as he raised his fifty with a six off Pandya.
Pandya, a fast bowler who lost out in the T20 captaincy race to Suryakumar, struck twice in one over including Perera to pull things back in India’s favour.
Former captain Dasun Shanaka fell bowled to Bishnoi’s leg-spin for a second successive first-ball duck.
Bishnoi, who was named man of the match for his bowling returns of 3-26 in his four overs, removed Hasaranga next ball but Ramesh Mendis saw off the hat-trick.
“Disappointed with our batting at the death and our middle and lower-middle order, including me,” said Asalanka, who fell for 14.
“We must improve our batting at the death.”
Sri Lanka’s struggle continues after changes to their set up including new captain Asalanka and interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya following an early exit from the T20 World Cup.
The third T20 match is on Tuesday at the same venue.
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