Shreyas Iyer scored a stormy half-century in the second consecutive T20 match.
Image Credit source: BCCI
The Indian team has put a hat-trick of T20 series victory with another spectacular victory. In the second T20 match against Sri Lanka, Team India won by 7 wickets on the strength of Shreyas Iyer’s strong innings. In the match played on Saturday 26 February in Dharamsala, Team India achieved the strong target of 184 runs from Sri Lanka in the 18th over itself. With this, Team India captured the series. Under the leadership of captain Rohit Sharma, Team India won the third consecutive T20 series. Along with this, Rohit Sharma has also made his name for winning the most 16 T20 matches on home soil.
The Sri Lankan team, which lost easily in the first match, performed better in this match. Even after losing the toss and then sent for batting, Sri Lanka played better than expected. After a slow start, Sri Lanka increased the pace on the basis of Danushka Gunatilaka. Gunatilaka was brought back in the playing XI in the same match. He made an opening partnership of 67 runs with Pathum Nisanka, which laid the foundation for Sri Lanka to put up a good score.
However, despite this good start, Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets for just 35 runs in the next 6 overs. Gunatilka was made his victim by Ravindra Jadeja, while Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Charit Asalanka LBW. Kamil Mishara failed in the second consecutive match and became the victim of Harshal Patel. Senior batsman Dinesh Chandimal also got away cheaply. He was returned to the pavilion by Jasprit Bumrah.
In such a situation, when there was a possibility of Sri Lanka faltering again, Pathum Nisanka and captain Dasun Shanka, who came in the opening, took the lead. Both started batting after the 15th over. During this first Nisanka completed his fifth half-century. On the other hand, Shanka targeted Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Both put on a partnership of 58 runs in just 26 balls. Nisanka became the victim of Bhuvneshwar in the 19th over by scoring 75 runs in 53 balls. At the same time, captain Shanka scored 23 runs in the last over with the help of 2 sixes. He returned unbeaten on 47 runs (2 fours, 5 sixes) in just 19 balls.
After batting, in bowling too, Sri Lanka came on the field in an aggressive manner. In the very first over, Dushmanta Chamira bowled captain Rohit Sharma. In no time Ishan Kishan also returned to the pavilion. Ishan, who scored 89 runs in the last match, could only score 16 runs this time. Shreyas and Sanju Samson took the responsibility of saving the team with difficulty. Iyer had also scored a quick half-century in the last match, while Sanju Samson got the opportunity to bat for the first time in this series.
Shreyas, who hit fifty in 26 balls in the last match, this time scored his half-century in just 30 balls. On the other hand, Sanju, who started slow, hit 3 sixes and a four in the same over of Lahiru Kumara.
However, Lahiru got the wicket of Samson on the last ball of the same over. Binura Fernando took a stunning catch at slips. Samson was dismissed after scoring 39 runs (2 fours, 3 sixes) in 25 balls. Samson and Iyer shared a 47-ball 84-run partnership, which eased India’s path to victory.
Ravindra Jadeja gave the finishing touch to the victory of Team India. The Indian all-rounder was once again promoted in the batting order like in the first match and was dropped at number five. Jadeja proved it right and batted brilliantly. He blew 1 six and 3 fours in the 16th over on Dushmanta Chamira. Due to Jadeja’s storm, India registered an easy victory by 7 wickets in just 17.1 overs. Iyer returned unbeaten on 74 off 44 balls (6 fours, 4 sixes) and Jadeja scored 45 runs in 18 balls (7 fours, 1 six). Both added 58 runs in just 26 balls.