India vs. Sri Lanka: Two CRUCIAL matches, two BIG wins! Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama defeated India’s spinners in Dambulla to win the Women’s Asia Cup for Sri Lanka. Later that evening, in Pallakele, almost 100 miles away, India’s spinners crushed Sri Lanka in the second men’s T20I. Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, and Riyan Parag combined for 12-0-86-5 causing another Sri Lanka collapse. It helped India wrap out the three-T20I series with one game remaining.
Sri Lanka had lost 16 for 68 in the final six overs of their first two T20Is. There was so much purchase for spinners that part-time spinner Parag bowled his whole allotment of overs. Axar bowled the final over of the first innings, during which Sri Lanka managed only 161 for 9.
Sri Lanka’s Power Play Start
Mahesh Theekshana dismissed Sanju Samson for a duck in India’s DLS-adjusted chase of 78 in eight overs, and Wanindu Hasaranga gave up 16 in his first over. Suryakumar Yadav then lined up Theekshana for three consecutive fours to propel India to victory.
Matheesha Pathirana removed Suryakumar for 26 off 12 balls, and Yashasvi Jaiswal holed out for 30 off 15 balls in the next over. Hardik Pandya came up with his cameo to ensure India’s new era began with a series victory. After being asked to bat first, Sri Lanka exploded into action, scoring 54 for 1 in the powerplay. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis were free to smash the ball over the top because Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh were not swinging the ball. Mendis had hit an on-pace seam-up ball from Arshdeep for a four-over mid-on. But when the left-arm seamer lost velocity and bowled a cutter into the pitch. He could only fumble it to the infielder.
Nissanka and Kusal Perera, on the other hand, continued to bat with determination and pinging the boundaries in the powerplay. When India’s bowlers strayed into his hips, Perera unleashed Sanath Jayasuriya-style short-arm jabs, and when he sped to a 31-ball half-century. Jayasuriya applauded warmly from the dugout. Sri Lanka’s best chance of defending that low score would have been to unleash their three spinners on India. They had strengthened their spin attack by replacing fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka with Ramesh Mendis – but rain hampered their plans.
India’s Smart Bowling Strategy
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It was not easy for India too. India relied on four specialist bowlers, including Axar, and trusted Hardik and Parag to divide the fifth-bowler duties. Parag demonstrated ripping turns and bounces after going 3 for 5 on Saturday. At one point, the presenter displayed a graphic depicting the average turn made by India’s spinners.
Parag created an average turn of 3.7 degrees, compared to Axar’s three degrees and Bishnoi’s one degree. Despite going wicketless, Parag once again demonstrated his ability with the ball. He even let Suryakumar hold Hardik back till the fourteenth over. Bishnoi reappeared at the end to bowl Dasun Shanaka and Hasaranga for ducks.
Hardik did his part by getting Perera to hole out for 53 off 34 balls, while Rinku held on to a brilliant catch to redeem himself. Suryakumar threw things off at the end, much like he did on Saturday when he handed the ball to Parag during this phase. On Sunday, Axar bowled the 20th over for the third time in his T20I career and sixth in his T20 career. Sri Lanka collapsed from 130 for 2 to 161 for 9. For them, the game was done.
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