In a thrilling rain-shortened match, India clinched the T20I series against Sri Lanka with a commanding performance, winning by 7 wickets with 9 balls to spare. The match, reduced to 8 overs per side, showcased India's prowess as they chased down the revised target with ease.
Sri Lanka, batting first, got off to a strong start with Pathum Nissanka scoring 32 and Kusal Perera delivering a blistering 53 off 34 balls. However, India’s bowlers pulled back the momentum with key performances from Ravi Bishnoi, who took 3/26, and Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya, who each claimed two wickets. This collective effort restricted Sri Lanka to 161/9.
Chasing a revised target of 78 runs in 8 overs, India came out aggressively. Yashasvi Jaiswal set the tone with a rapid 30 off 15 balls. Despite the early loss of Sanju Samson, captain Suryakumar Yadav's explosive 26 off 12 balls and Hardik Pandya's unbeaten 22 off 9 balls sealed the victory for India.
Charith Asalanka, the Sri Lankan captain, expressed his disappointment: "Disappointed with the way we batted at the death. This pitch gets tough to bat on as the ball gets older and as professional cricketers, we must do better. We were behind by 15-20 runs. The weather also played its part, and it's not easy to bowl 8 overs with a wet outfield."
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav highlighted the team's strategy, "We spoke about this before the start of the tournament - the brand of cricket we want to play. This is the template we want to move forward with. Considering the weather, anything below 160 would have been nice. The rain helped us and the way the boys batted was wonderful. Very happy for the boys, they showed a lot of character in tough situations."
Ravi Bishnoi was named Player of the Match for his exceptional bowling performance. "The pitch was a little different from yesterday. It was turning a bit and helping the spinners in the first innings. I stuck to my plans. It's a good responsibility to bowl in the death overs; it means the captain and the management trust me," Bishnoi said.
With this win, India secured the T20I series, demonstrating their resilience and adaptability in challenging conditions.
