IND vs SL T20I match
IND vs SL: India challenged Sri Lanka in the three-match India tour to Sri Lanka T20 International series 1st match held on July 27, 2024. This was the first game of the post-Virat Kohli era, with Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach and Suryakumar Yadav as the team captain. The game was played on July 27, 2024, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, between India and Sri Lanka.
Team India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Akshar Patel, Arshadeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj.
Sri Lanka Team Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wicket-keeper), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (captain), Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
Toss and Team Selection
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl in the first inning. This was a decision made by the captain, Charith Asalanka, who thought that the pitch would favour the bowlers early on. The leader of India, Suryakumar Yadav, was keen to set tough and challenging goals.
The Indian team was a perfect mix of experience and youth, with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal starting the innings. The squad also included Rishabh Pant behind the stumps and main all-rounders, like Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel. Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh, the premier bowlers in the bowling unit, backed them up.
Also read: Women’s Asia Cup: Shafali Storm in Dambulla, Beat Nepal To Become The No. 1 Team in The Semis
Providing cover for the Sri Lankan batting line was a full-throated approach that had Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis in the front line. The fast bowlers persistently had the upper hand, with Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana doing an excellent job of taking the wickets.
India’s Innings
India started their 1st innings very cautiously, taking Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal along with them to build a steady partnership. Jaiswal showed his aggressive side and made a quick 40 off 21 balls before being out. Gill was the one to secure the innings, scoring a calm 34 and laying the groundwork. The middle order, headed by captain Suryakumar Yadav, used the platform effectively and improved scores. Yadav was at his best playing like a captain, hitting 58 off only 26 balls, and inventing new ways of playing cricket.
Rishabh Pant scored a massive 49 runs in 33 balls and all-rounder Hardik Pandya received a bonus in the form of viable runs added at the end of the innings that helped India gain the upper hand with a competitive total of 213/7 in their 20 overs. India set a target of 214 runs in 20 overs for Sri Lankan team
Sri Lanka’s chase
Having been set 214, the Sri Lanka openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis needed to come out firing. The pair added 124 runs at the top of the order, hence setting up a good platform for his composite to chase down. But the incoming of Axar into the attack changed things in favor of India. The Sri Lankan middle order couldn’t handle either, as Patel claimed the crucial wickets of Pathum Nissanka.
Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Perera seemed to settle things down, but the proficient Indian bowlers never allowed them to release any shackles. The hosts found it difficult to get going as they were pegged back by Riyan Parag, who picked three important wickets. Sri Lanka could not capitalize on their changed situation as they finished their innings at 170.
India’s 43-run win earned them a 1-0 lead in the series with Suryakumar Yadav dubbed as the player of the match for his all-round performance. In the award ceremony, Yadav declared that he was content with the team’s execution and molded their game under duress. Gautam Gambhir’s as the head coach was memorable and exciting with a focus on the growth of young talents and the formation of a strong unit.
The Lankan captain Charith Asalanka admitted that the Indian bowlers had done well and the fact that if his team wants to achieve a positive result, they have to work on their middle-order batting in the following games was also mentioned. The series will go to the second match, which Sri Lanka will try to win and then level the series.
