CUTTACK: Opener Lokesh Rahul’s attacking half-century and
four wickets by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal powered India to their
biggest ever Twenty20 win, outplaying Sri Lanka by 93 runs in the first
match on Wednesday.
Chahal returned impressive figures of
4-23 to help dismiss Sri Lanka for 87, in 16 overs, while chasing 181
as the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
India’s previous biggest T20 triumph in terms of runs was their 90-run win over England
in the 2012 World Cup group match in Colombo.
Rahul smashed 61 off 48 balls as India posted a challenging 180-3 after being invited to bat first.
But
it was Dhoni (39) and Manish Pandey (32) who set up India’s big win
with their unbeaten 68-run stand for the fourth wicket that lifted the
team from 112-3 to put up a challenging total.
Dhoni hit 4
fours and a six during his 22-ball blitz while Pandey also hit the
bowlers to all parts of the ground during his 18-ball stay.
Earlier
Rahul, who replaced Shikhar Dhawan in the XI, put on a crucial 63-run
stand with Shreyas Iyer, who made 24, after India a lost an early
wicket.
Angelo Mathews got skipper Rohit Sharma caught at
mid-on for 17 to check India’s surge after the openers gave the team a
brisk start.
Rahul, who hit seven fours and a six,
carried on with his attacking play as he reached his second T20 fifty in
34 balls, prompting skipper Thisara Perera to rotate his bowling
options.
The ploy worked as Sri Lanka took two quick
wickets including that of Rahul and also managed to stem the flow of
runs. Perera bowled Rahul on a well-disguised slower delivery.
But Dhoni and Pandey finished off the innings with a flurry of fours and sixes as India got 66 runs in the last five overs.
In reply, the Sri Lankan batting faltered against the Indian wrist spinners as Upul Tharanga top-scored with 23.
Fast bowler Hardik Pandya claimed three wickets while left-arm unorthodox bowler Kuldeep Yadav picked two.
The second match is scheduled for Friday in Indore.
Scoreboard
INDIA:
R.G. Sharma c Chameera b Mathews 17
K.L. Rahul b T. Perera 61
S.S. Iyer c Dickwella b Pradeep 24
M.S. Dhoni not out 39
M.K. Pandey not out 32
K.L. Rahul b T. Perera 61
S.S. Iyer c Dickwella b Pradeep 24
M.S. Dhoni not out 39
M.K. Pandey not out 32
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-1, W-4, NB-1) 7
TOTAL (for three wkts, 20 overs) 180
FALL OF WKTS: 1-38, 2-101, 3-112.
DID NOT BAT: K.D. Karthik, H.H. Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, J.J. Bumrah, J.D. Unadkat, Y.S. Chahal.
BOWLING:
Fernando 2-0-16-0; Dananjaya 4-0-30-0; Chameera 3-0-38-0 (2w); Mathews
3-0-19-1; N.L.T.C. Perera 4-0-37-1; Pradeep 4-0-38-1 (1nb, 2w).
SRI LANKA:
N. Dickwella c Rahul b Unadkat 13
W.U. Tharanga c Dhoni b Chahal 23
M.D.K.J. Perera c Dhoni b Kuldeep 19
A.D. Mathews c and b Chahal 1
D.A.S. Gunaratne st Dhoni b Chahal 4
M.D. Shanaka c Pandya b Kuldeep 1
N.L.T.C. Perera st Dhoni b Chahal 3
A. Dananjaya c and b Pandya 7
P.V.D. Chameera c Rahul b Pandya 12
M.V.T. Fernando c Unadkat b Pandya 2
N. Pradeep not out 0
W.U. Tharanga c Dhoni b Chahal 23
M.D.K.J. Perera c Dhoni b Kuldeep 19
A.D. Mathews c and b Chahal 1
D.A.S. Gunaratne st Dhoni b Chahal 4
M.D. Shanaka c Pandya b Kuldeep 1
N.L.T.C. Perera st Dhoni b Chahal 3
A. Dananjaya c and b Pandya 7
P.V.D. Chameera c Rahul b Pandya 12
M.V.T. Fernando c Unadkat b Pandya 2
N. Pradeep not out 0
EXTRAS (w-2) 2
TOTAL (all out, 16 overs) 87
FALL OF WKTS: 1-15, 2-39, 3-46, 4-55, 5-58, 6-62, 7-70, 8-76, 9-85.
BOWLING: Pandya 4-0-29-3 (1w); Unadkat 2-0-7-1; Chahal 4-0-23-4 (1w); Bumrah 2-0-10-0; Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-18-2.
RESULT: India won by 93 runs to lead three-match series 1-0.
UMPIRES: N. Menon (India) and C.K. Nandan (India).
TV UMPIRE: A.K. Chaudhary (India).
MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Yuzvendra Chahal.
SECOND MATCH: Indore, Friday.
THIRD MATCH: Mumbai, Sunday.
