India beats Sri Lanka by 7 wickets in rain-reduced game to clinch T20 series

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka — Wrist spinner Ravi Bishnoi claimed 3-26 as India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets with nine balls of the rain-reduced second T20 game remaining to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Bishnoi got support Sunday from left-arm spinner Axar Patel (2-30), while pacers Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh shared four wickets, as Sri Lanka was restricted to 161-9 in 20 overs.

Rain impacted the game twice – first, when the start was delayed by 45 minutes without any overs lost. Later, it stopped the game for another 70 minutes with India at 6-0 halfway through the first over of its chase.

On resumption, the match was shortened to eight overs with a target of 78 runs under the DLS method. That left India needing 72 runs off 45 balls.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 30 off 15 balls, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav hit a 12-ball 26.

Hardik Pandya smacked 22 not out off nine balls, as India powered to 81-3 in 6.3 overs.

India won the first T20 by 43 runs. The third and final T20 will be played on Tuesday, also in Pallekele. The two teams will also play three one-day internationals.

Earlier, Pathum Nissanka provided another good start for Sri Lanka after India won the delayed toss and opted to bowl. Opener Shubman Gill was left out owing to a neck spasm. Sanju Samson was his replacement.

Nissanka scored 32 off 24 with five fours. After opener Kusal Mendis was out for 10, Nissanka put on 54 runs off 36 balls for the second wicket with Kusal Perera. The latter stroked his way to 53 off 34, hitting two sixes and six fours. Bishnoi got the breakthrough by trapping Nissanka lbw in the 10th over.

Perera added another 50 runs with Kamindu Mendis (26), but Bishnoi returned to trigger another middle-order collapse.

Prior to that, Pandya broke through with the twin dismissals of Perera and Mendis – both caught in the deep by Rinku Singh.

Bishnoi then bowled Dasun Shanaka for a golden duck, immediately following it up with another first-ball dismissal of Wanindu Hasaranga. The player of the match was on a hat trick in the 17th over, but was denied.

“The pitch was turning today. It helped the spinners in the first innings,” Bishnoi said. “I love bowling the wrong ’uns and stick to my plans. I enjoy bowling towards the death overs.”

Sri Lanka was 130-2 after 15 overs but managed only 31 runs for seven wickets in the final five overs.

After the lengthy rain break, India was dealt an early blow in its reduced chase when Maheesh Theekshana bowled Samson for a golden duck in the second over.

Jaiswal countered with two sixes and three fours, while Yadav struck four fours and a six. The duo raced to 39 off 19 balls for the second wicket.

India lost both Jaiswal and Yadav in successive overs, but Pandya delivered the win to secure the series.

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