Sports Reporter :
Hosts Sri Lanka made a good start in the Nidahas Trophy Tri-Nation Twenty20 Series beating India by five wickets in the opening match at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday.
Chasing India’s fighting total of 174 for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs, Sri Lanka reached the winning target making 175 for the loss of five wickets remaining with nine deliveries.
Sri Lanka had a poor start as they lost opener Kusal Mendis (11) when the islanders’ score was just 12.
Then Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Perera repaired the damage adding together 58 runs for the second wicket partnership before Gunathilaka (19) was caught at the mid-off by Rishabh Pant off Jaydev Unadkakat when Sri Lanka’s total was 70 for the loss of two wickets.
Second-down Dinesh Chandimal (14) was cleanly bowled out by Yuzvendra Chahal when the hosts’ score was 98 for the loss of three wickets.
One-down Kusal Perera was stumped out by wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik off Washington Sundar when Sri Lanka’s total was 127 for the loss of four wickets.
Kusal cracked a hurricane 66. His 37-ball innings saw four sixes and six fours.
Upul Tharanga (17) was bowled out by Chahal when Sri Lanka’s score was 136 for the loss of five wickets.
Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka brought their team to the winning spot.
Perera remained unbeaten with 22. He hit two fours and a six in his 10-ball innings.
Shanaka remained unbeaten with 15.
Chahal and Washington Sundar bagged a pair of wickets each for 37 and 28 runs respectively.
Unadkat got one wicket instead of 35 runs.
India faced an early debacle as opener Rohit Sharma (0) and one-down Suresh Raina (1) were dismissed when India’s total was nine for the loss of two wickets.
Then Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey contributed together 95 runs for the third wicket partnership before Pandey was caught at the long-on by Danushka Gunathilaka off Jeevan Mendis when the tourists’ total was 104 for the loss of three wickets.
Shikhar Dhawan was a victim of nervous nineties. He hit a stormy 90. His 49-ball innings was ornamented with six sixes and six fours.
Pandey made 37 from 35 balls featuring three fours and a sixer.
After Pandey’s dismissal, Dhawan and Rishabh Pant added together 49 runs in the fourth wicket stand before Dhawan was bowled out by Nuwan Pradeep when the visitors’ score was 154 for the loss of four wickets.
Rishabh Pant scored a run-a-ball 23 with one four and one six.
Dinash Karthik remained unbeaten with 13 off six balls.
Dushmantha Chameera bagged a pair of wickets at the cost of 33 runs, while Danushka Gunathilaka, Jeevan Mendis and Nuwan Pradeep took one wicket each for 16, 21 and 38 runs respectively.
Hosts Sri Lanka made a good start in the Nidahas Trophy Tri-Nation Twenty20 Series beating India by five wickets in the opening match at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday.
Chasing India’s fighting total of 174 for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs, Sri Lanka reached the winning target making 175 for the loss of five wickets remaining with nine deliveries.
Sri Lanka had a poor start as they lost opener Kusal Mendis (11) when the islanders’ score was just 12.
Then Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Perera repaired the damage adding together 58 runs for the second wicket partnership before Gunathilaka (19) was caught at the mid-off by Rishabh Pant off Jaydev Unadkakat when Sri Lanka’s total was 70 for the loss of two wickets.
Second-down Dinesh Chandimal (14) was cleanly bowled out by Yuzvendra Chahal when the hosts’ score was 98 for the loss of three wickets.
One-down Kusal Perera was stumped out by wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik off Washington Sundar when Sri Lanka’s total was 127 for the loss of four wickets.
Kusal cracked a hurricane 66. His 37-ball innings saw four sixes and six fours.
Upul Tharanga (17) was bowled out by Chahal when Sri Lanka’s score was 136 for the loss of five wickets.
Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka brought their team to the winning spot.
Perera remained unbeaten with 22. He hit two fours and a six in his 10-ball innings.
Shanaka remained unbeaten with 15.
Chahal and Washington Sundar bagged a pair of wickets each for 37 and 28 runs respectively.
Unadkat got one wicket instead of 35 runs.
India faced an early debacle as opener Rohit Sharma (0) and one-down Suresh Raina (1) were dismissed when India’s total was nine for the loss of two wickets.
Then Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey contributed together 95 runs for the third wicket partnership before Pandey was caught at the long-on by Danushka Gunathilaka off Jeevan Mendis when the tourists’ total was 104 for the loss of three wickets.
Shikhar Dhawan was a victim of nervous nineties. He hit a stormy 90. His 49-ball innings was ornamented with six sixes and six fours.
Pandey made 37 from 35 balls featuring three fours and a sixer.
After Pandey’s dismissal, Dhawan and Rishabh Pant added together 49 runs in the fourth wicket stand before Dhawan was bowled out by Nuwan Pradeep when the visitors’ score was 154 for the loss of four wickets.
Rishabh Pant scored a run-a-ball 23 with one four and one six.
Dinash Karthik remained unbeaten with 13 off six balls.
Dushmantha Chameera bagged a pair of wickets at the cost of 33 runs, while Danushka Gunathilaka, Jeevan Mendis and Nuwan Pradeep took one wicket each for 16, 21 and 38 runs respectively.
