India's Axar Patel and Suryakumar matched Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis and Dasun Shanaka fifties for fifties in a game of varying fortunes, but ultimately the hosts lost the second T20I by 16 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, here, on Thursday.
The Sri Lankans capitalised on errant and ineffective Indian bowling to post 206/6 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first by Hardik Pandya who won the toss, with Shanaka hammering 56 off 22 deliveries after Mendis had blazed away to 52 off 31. This was done with the bat dominating the ball on a true pitch on which bowlers were rewarded for exerting extra effort.
Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav saved India from a hazardous 34/5 to help them make a match of it until they fell short while chasing a large total. As India roared back from 57/5 to reach 148/5 when Suryakumar was out, Axar displayed exceptional batting, smashing a half-century in 20 balls and Yadav scoring 51 off 33 deliveries. Even though India went from 57 off 24 balls to 20 off 6 thanks to some lusty smashes from Axar Patel and Shivam Mavi, the target proved to be too lofty in the end.
In his stunning 31-ball 65, Axar Patel smashed six sixes and two boundaries, and Suryakumar and Mavi (26 off 15) helped India recover from a hazardous situation to reach 20 off the final six deliveries. However, despite playing some spectacular strokes, including three sixes off successive deliveries in the 14th over, the Gujarat hitter ultimately found the going too tough. He was struck out by Dasun Shanaka in the last over, ending India's hopes.
After Deepak Hooda was out for nine runs, Suryakumar, who had survived a clear run-out opportunity, displayed his trademark 360-degree play and found an able partner in Axar as they reached the innings' hundred-run mark. In the 14th over, Patel crushed Wanindu Hasaranga for a hat-trick of sixes, and with Suryakumar Yadav adding a six of his own, Sri Lanka lost 26 runs. Axar Patel scorched his way to a half-century off 20 balls, hitting two fours and six sixes, and they scored 15 runs off the next over, totaling six sixes in two overs.
Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, and Rahul Tripathi were lost early for India, and when captain Pandya was dismissed for 12 runs and Deepak Hooda for 9, it appeared that their pursuit would fail.
The Sri Lankan bowlers had a strong start but faltered in the middle overs when Yadav and Patel went all out, scoring 41 runs in 12 balls in the 14th and 15th overs, respectively. Nevertheless, they rallied and eventually came back to win.
Arshdeep Singh sent down three wides to give up 17 runs in the second over for the Indian bowlers, and Mendis blasted him for two fours and a six. Before the pacers once more gave Shanaka the opportunity to take control, spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel as well as Umran Malik, who took two wickets off consecutive deliveries, brought them back into the game. Arshdeep bowled a total of five no-balls, allowing his team to score 37 runs in just two overs as Shanaka hit a number of spectacular strokes.
Earlier, after Hardik Pandya bowled a quiet first over, Arshdeep delivered a crazy one with three no-balls and was beaten for a four and a six by Kusal Mendis, giving up 19 runs in the over.
Mendis treated himself to a four down the ground off a no-ball by Shivam Mavi, who was brought in since Arshdeep was having trouble with his run-up. Mendis top-edged Pandya for a six over deep third-man. At the conclusion of the Power-play, Sri Lanka had a score of 55.
Mendis carried on in the same manner. He slog-swept Axar Patel for a maximum over deep mid-wicket after driving Mavi for a four past mid-on. In just 27 deliveries, he reached his half-century thanks to another six from Umran Mailk.
When Mendis (52, 31b, 3x4, and 4x6) was caught LBW by Yuzvendra Chahal with a slider that squeezed the batsman for space, India pulled back a little bit and made the much-needed breakthrough. The field umpire made no motion, but the DRS decided in the bowler's favour.
When rookie Rahul Tripathi expertly caught Nissanka off Axar Patel near the boundary rope after Umran Malik had dismissed Bhanuka Rajapaksa (2) with a 147-kph thunderbolt, Sri Lanka were 96/3 in the 12th over.
Charith Asalanka blasted back-to-back sixes off Chahal over deep-midwicket as Chahal continued to struggle and dropped short. He hammered Umran Malik to a six in the same area but the young J&K tearaway had the last laugh as he got Asalanka (37 off 19 balls) caught by Shubman Gill at deep midwicket boundary as the batter backed away attempting to smack him over the rope,
Malik was on fire and uprooted the stumps with a 140kph delivery to send Wanindu Hasaranga back for wickets off successive balls.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 206/6 in 20 overs (Dasun Shanaka 56 not out,Kusal Mendis 52, Charith Asalanka 37, Pathum Nissanka 33; Umran Malik 3-48, Axar Patel 2-24) beat India 190/8 in 20 overs (Axar Patel 65,Suryakumar Yadav 51, Shivam Mavi 26; Dasun Shanaka 2-4, Kasun Rajitha 2-22, Dilshan Madushanka 2-45) by 16 runs