India complete T20 series win over Sri Lanka after another batting collapse
Sri Lanka’s batting order crumbled once again as India took an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series at Pallekele. After a promising start, the hosts lost eight wickets for just 31 runs to be bowled out for a below-par 161. India then chased down the total with 9 wickets in hand and 6.3 overs to spare.
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera got Sri Lanka off to a flying start, putting on 54 for the first wicket. However, just as they had established themselves, Ravi Bishnoi struck with the key wicket of Nissanka for 32. Perera continued to punish the bad balls but failed to convert his solid 50 into a big score.
The game changed dramatically in the 17th over as Hardik Pandya dismissed both Perera and Kamindu Mendis in the space of four deliveries. Sri Lanka’s innings suddenly collapsed from 130-2 to 140-6. Rinku Singh took two sharp catches in the deep to contribute to Pandya’s double-wicket over.
Bishnoi then took center stage, claiming the wickets of Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga off successive balls to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 148-8. They added just 13 more runs as the lower order crumbled.
Chasing 162 to wrap up the series, India were reduced to 1/1 after the first ball from Matheesha Pathirana saw Sanju Samson dismissed for a golden duck. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suryakumar Yadav put on an unbeaten 59 to steer India home comfortably with more than three overs to spare.
Hardik Pandya remained unbeaten on 25, sealing the victory with a boundary. Once again, Sri Lanka’s batting failure led to their downfall as India maintained their stranglehold over their opponents in the shortest format.
