2nd T20I: SKY, Jaiswal, Bishnoi heroics power India to series win

Pallekele: Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Suryakumar Yadav displayed their wide array of strokes as India took an unassailable 2-0 lead, winning the rain-curtailed second T20I by seven wickets with nine balls to spare here on Sunday.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and new captain Suryakumar couldn’t have asked for a better start to their new roles as the Indian team played like true T20 World Champions outplaying Sri Lanka in all departments.

Despite Shubman Gill’s absence due to neck spasm and another failure in the format for the ever-hyped Sanju Samson (0), Jaiswal (30 off 15 balls) and Suryakumar (26 off 12 balls) didn’t even break a sweat in their short but tricky chase of 78 in 8 overs after another fine effort by bowlers had restricted Sri Lanka to 161 for 9.

Just when Maheesh Theekshana looked dangerous getting Samson with a carrom ball and squaring up Surya with a doosra, the Mumbai duo decided to bring the sweep shot – both conventional and reverse – out of the closet.

The strategy was to not allow Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga’s deliveries to deviate off the surface and create confusion.

Instead, the India batters used their reach to good effect and smother the turn. They added 39 in 3.1 overs and by the time Surya and Jaiswal were dismissed, they had hit seven fours and three sixes between them.

It was left to Hardik Pandya (22 not out off 9 balls) and Rishabh Pant (2 not out) to complete the formalities in 6.3 overs and render the final match of the series on Tuesday inconsequential.

Earlier, Indian bowling unit repeated its happy knack of effecting a collapse at the back-end as Sri Lanka ended with a below-par 161 for 

On Saturday, Sri Lanka lost eight wickets for 21 runs while chasing and on Sunday, the islanders lost six wickets for 31 runs in their last 30 balls.

Despite scoring 80 in the first 10 overs and in a position to accelerate, Charith Asalanka’s side lost its way, managing just 81 runs in the back-10 as Hardik Pandya’s (2/23 in 2 overs) change of pace and Ravi Bishnoi’s (3/26 in 4 overs) fast googlies did the trick.

This was after Pathum Nissanka (32 off 24 balls) and veteran southpaw Kusal Perera (54 off 34 balls) had added 54 runs for the second wicket in six overs to set the platform only to find batters coming after them fritter it away.

As the Indian bowlers tightened the noose around the Lankan batters, the desperation to break the shackles saw the likes of all-rounders Dasun Shanaka (0) and Wanindu Hasaranga (0) playing indiscreet shots as frown on interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya’s face was so palpable.

From 130 for 2 in 15 overs, Sri Lanka suddenly had a middle-order collapse, twice in two days where they lost four wickets in a space of 10 deliveries, which also included a run-out.

Suryakumar Yadav’s bowling plans aided by Gautam Gambhir’s back-room brainstorming was evident as Bishnoi, who seemed to struggle against Sri Lankan top-order with more right-handers attacking his wrong ‘un, was kept out of the attack.

He started with the young Riyan Parag (0/30 in 4 overs), who had 10 dot balls and five boundaries but was asked to just attack the stumps with occasional turn while Axar Patel (2/30 in 4 overs) continued with his wicket-to-wicket dart-like accuracy.

The ball gripped off the surface while travelling at a decent pace leaving batters confused whether to come forward or stay put on their stance.