Returning to track after defeat in the final ODI, India defeated Sri Lanka by 38 runs in the opening T20 International at the Premadasa Stadium on Sunday night, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. A splendid half-century by the in-form Suryakumar Yadav (50, 34b, 5x4, 2x6) and a 46-run knock (36b, 4x4, 1x6) by skipper Shikhar Dhawan helped India put up 164 for five as Sri Lanka put in a fair show with the ball after electing to field first. However, a shoddy performance with the bat, bar Charith Asalanka, who crushed a quickfire 44 ( 3x6, 3x4) on his T20I debut, saw the hosts crash to 126 all out in the 19th over. Asalanka showed some action as he punched a few big blows, but once paceman Deepak Chahar had him caught at deep mid-wicket and then castled Wanindu Hasaranga in a double-strike in the 16th over, India had the game in the bag. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked four for 22, the pick of the Indian bowlers was leg-spinner Yuzuvendra Chahal, who bowled 10 dot balls while giving away just 19 runs in four overs.
#TeamIndia win the 1st #SLvIND T20I by 38 runs ????
? BCCI (@BCCI) July 25, 2021
We go 1-0 in the series ???? pic.twitter.com/9FfFbx2TTZ
Earlier, pacer Dushmantha Chameera and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga bowled superbly, taking two wickets each as Lanka took the pace off the ball in damp conditions to keep India in limit. Surya, though, continues to go from strength to strength. Having just been named the ?Player of the Series? in the ODIs, the Mumbaikar carried on with his sizzling form, destroying the Lankan bowlers as he added 62 for the third wicket in just 48 balls with Dhawan to help India shrug off losing Prithvi Shaw, who went for a first-ball duck on his T20I debut, and Sanju Samson (27, 20b, 2x4, 1x6).
#TeamIndia win the 1st #SLvIND T20I by 38 runs ????
? BCCI (@BCCI) July 25, 2021
We go 1-0 in the series ???? pic.twitter.com/9FfFbx2TTZ
The only concern for India would be another poor show by allrounder Hardik Pandya, who failed to force the pace in a labored 12-ball 10 in the slog overs and went for 17 in two overs, picking up a wicket. ?Sky? seems to be on top of the bowling from word go these days.
On Sunday, his second half-century in his first four T20I innings had all his trademark shots which make him such a dangerous batsman in limited-overs cricket.
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