All-round Shanaka shines as Sri Lanka level the series against India

Sri Lanka registered their first T20I victory against India in India since 2016 and levelled the three-match T20I series with a 16-run win in the second encounter in Pune. Fifties from Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Mendis propelled the tourists to a total of 206 for six before India fell short by 16 runs despite some late fireworks from Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel.

Hardik Pandya opened the proceesings for India after winning the toss and opting to bowl. The skipper conceded just two runs to start the innings, but the boundaries began to flow after that, with 45 runs coming in the next three overs. Arshdeep Singh conceded three no-balls and 19 runs in his first over, while Kusal Mendis laced Pandya and Shivam Mavi to the boundary to give Sri Lanka a blazing start.

The spinners temporarily stemmed the flow of runs to end the powerplay, but Kusal Mendis continued his onslaught through the middle. The opener took on Axar Patel in the seventh over and carved Umran Malik through point to bring up his fifty in just 27 deliveries. Chahal dismissed Mendis for 52 to pull the Men in Blue back into the contest before Axar Patel removed Pathum Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva in consecutive overs, reducing Sri Lanka to 113 for four after 14 overs.

Charith Asalanka then struck three sixes in the next two overs to set up a grandstand finish for Sri Lanka before Dasun Shanaka continued his fine form against India. The skipper joined hands with Chamika Karunaratne at the death and tormented the Indian pacers to score 58 runs off the final three overs. The pair took 21 runs against Umran Malik in the 18th before Shanaka struck four sixes and a four in the final two overs to take the Islanders past 200.

Chasing a mammoth total, India got off to the worst possible start to their innings. Kasun Rajitha sent both openers – Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill – back to the pavilion in the second over before Dilshan Madushanka nicked off the debutant Rahul Tripathi for single figures. Mendis also took a superb flying catch to remove Hardik Pandya, while Wanindu Hasaranga outfoxed Deepak Hooda in the ninth over to leave India reeling at 57 for five.

The hosts managed just 64 runs in the first half of the innings, but Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav launched a commendable comeback to take the game deep. The left-hander was particularly aggressive against the spinners, carting Theekshana for a pair of boundaries before smashing Hasaranga for three successive sixes. Patel brought up his half-century in just 20 deliveries, while Yadav played a few trademark strokes to bring up his 50.

However, the 91-run stand was broken by Dilshan Madushanka in the 16th over, and despite a few handy runs from Shivam Mavi at the death, the Men in Blue fell comfortably short by 16 runs as Sri Lanka tied the series at 1-1 to force a decider in the final T20I.