Match Blog: Chandimal and Kapugedera Take SL to a 5-Wicket Win
Match Blog: Click here for all the latest updates, pictures and reactions from the first India-SL T20 at Pune.
- Sri Lanka beat India by five wickets in the first T20 at Pune.
- India were all out for 101. K Rajitha and D Shanaka picked up three wickets each.
- The partnership of 39 runs between Dinesh Chandimal and CK Kapugedera took the match away from the Indians.
Sensational Raina
Another wicket! Can India pull this off? Shanaka slashed at an Ashwin delivery and Raina flew on sqaure-led to grab a sensational catch to dismiss him.
Shanaka goes for three. The match is still on as per India is concerned.
Sri Lanka need 10 more runs from 18 balls.
Chandimal Gone!
It’s Raina this time. Chandimal missed the quicker one and got himself LBW. But the Sri Lankan skipper has already done his job, His watchful innings of 35 from 35 balls has put the islanders on the right track.
The Lankans need 18 more runs from 30 balls.
Ashwin Castles Kapugedera
R Ashwin strikes for India! Finally, India have got the breakthrough. The off-spinner castles Kapugedera for a well made 25.
India will have to keep picking wickets, otherwise the Lankans will easily chip away with the match.
Chandimal and Kapugedera String Decent Partnership
The Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal and C Kapugedera are taking the game away from the Indians. After two early wickets, these two batsmen got the situation under control and kept knocking off the runs.
They need 54 more runs to win from 60 balls.
Gunathilaka Loops a Catch
Gunathilaka is continuing the tradition of lobbing catches in this match. Nehra again short pitched the ball and forced a miscued shot. The Sri Lankan opener goes for nine.
SL: 23/2 after 4.3 overs.
Nehra Strikes!
Ashish Nehra has noticed the bounce of the pitch and has used it to good effect. N Dickwella tried to play the pull shot but top-edged it instead for just four runs.
The wickets fest continues.
SL: 10/1 after one over.
Nehra Caught, Bumrah Run Out
Ashish Nehra perishes after going for a big shot. The fast bowler looped a simple catch to Siriwardana at point.
He strung a good partnership with R Ashwin to take India past 100 but couldn’t stay till the end.
And it was a sad end to the Indian innings when Ashwin sent Bumrah back while he was trying to take a second run.
Unfortunately, Bumrah slipped and Sri Lanka completed the run out.
Ashwin, who played a sensible knock of 31 was the last man standing as India finished at 101.
Sir Jadeja Departs For 6
Another wicket! The Indian batting line-up is falling like a pack of cards. Jadeja didn’t watch the turn and got himself LBW for just six runs to Senanayake.
Ashwin is the only one capable of the big hits. Dhoni will be praying for a total of 100.
India: 72/8 after 13.
Shanaka Gets Pandya
Newbie Hardik Pandya gone! Pandya misjudged the pace of the ball and didn’t get the bat down on time and therefore got himself LBW.
India have lost their seventh wicket for just 58 runs. Now it’s all up to Ashwin and Jadeja to take India past 100 at least.
Yuvraj Lobs Too!
Seems like the Indians have come to top-edge everything today. Yuvraj Singh too, mistimes the pull shot and loops a catch to the bowler Chameera for 10 runs.
India: 54/6 after 10 overs.
Raina, Dhoni Back in the Hut
Suresh Raina was the only Indian batsman who was looking good but his short innings has come to an end. He tried to make some room but in the process got himself bowled.
India’s hopes went down even more when the Indian skipper MS Dhoni top-edged a ball to the keeper after scoring only two runs.
Both out to D Shanaka.
India: 51/4 after 9 overs.
Dhawan Goes For a Big Heave
The Indian batsmen are showing signs of over confidence. Even after two early wickets, Shikhar Dhwan still went for a big slog and edged to third man.
Yuvraj Singh walks in. Can India reconstruct from here?
India: 32/3.
Debutant Rajitha Strikes Twice
Well well, Ajinkya Rahane has fallen to the newbie Kasun Rajitha in the first over. Rahane was looking to tuck the ball on the leg-side but in the process top-edged the ball to Chandimal.
The in-form Indian team are in dire straits. And no Virat as well!
India: 5/2 after one over.
Rohit Sharma Out For a Duck
The first wicket falls in the second ball and it’s none other than the in-form batsman Rohit Sharma. The Mumbai batsman pushed at the ball tentatively and got caught by D Chameera, who flew to his right to grab the ball.
India: 0/1.
Toss
Squads
India Squad: S Dhawan, RG Sharma, AM Rahane, SK Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni*, HH Pandya, RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, JJ Bumrah, A Nehra
Sri Lanka Squad: MD Gunathilaka, N Dickwella, LD Chandimal*, S Prasanna, TAM Siriwardana, CK Kapugedera, NLTC Perera, MD Shanaka, SMSM Senanayake, CAK Rajitha, PVD Chameera
Good evening!
Welcome to the coverage of the first T20 between India and Sri Lanka at Pune. India are high on confidence after thrashing Australia 3-0 in the recently concluded T20 series Down Under.
The Sri Lankans are without their regular T20 captain Lasith Malinga and Test skipper Angelo Mathews for the entire series as they are nursing a knee injury and a groin strain respectively. Experienced all-rounder Tillakaratne Dilshan has also been ruled out of the opening game due to a hand injury.
Dinesh Chandimal will lead the islanders in this series.
In the Indian camp, star batsman Virat Kohli has been rested for the series.
Here’s what the Indian captain MS Dhoni had to say at the pre-match press conference.
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