Sri Lanka beat India in the second T20 match late on Thursday to level the series 1-1. The excitement remained in the match till the 20th Over. Both the teams kept fighting to make the match in their court. In the beginning, the match was completely under the control of the Sri Lankan players.
Because India’s start was not good. Three batsmen returned to the pavilion after being dismissed for 21 runs. Five wickets had fallen for 57 runs. Surya and Akshar Patel shared a 91-run partnership off 40 balls for the sixth wicket to bring the team close to victory.
But as soon as Akshar’s wicket fell in the last over, the match went out of India’s hands and India lost the match by 16 runs. India bowled 7 no balls in this match. Gave 28 runs on these. Also, hit 2 sixes.
Top 3 moments of the match
1. Mendis caught a flying catch of Pandya
Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis took a brilliant catch of Hardik Pandya. On the fourth ball of the fifth over, Chamika Karunaratne bowled a good length on the offside. Pandya went for the drive but, the ball took the outside edge of his bat and went to the keeper.
Where behind the wicket, Mendis caught the catch by hitting a spectacular dive in the air on the right side. Pandya got out after scoring 12 runs in 12 balls.
2. Arshdeep became the first Indian to bowl three consecutive no-balls
Arshdeep Singh conceded 37 runs in 2 overs. He bowled a total of 5 no balls. He bowled three consecutive no-balls in his first over itself and gave away 19 runs. He has become the first Indian to do so.
During this, Hardik looked upset. He did not hand the ball to Arshdeep again. Later the ball was given in the 19th over, but in this over also Arshdeep proved to be expensive. He gave away 18 runs in this over with two no-balls.
Seeing this, Pandya grabbed his head. After the match, Pandya clearly instructed Arshdeep that throwing a no-ball is a crime. This cannot be forgiven.
3. Akshar Patel narrowly escaped being run out
On the fourth ball of the 12th over, Suryakumar Yadav scoops the ball of Chamika Karunaratne. The ball went to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis. Akshar started running, but Surya remained standing in his crease.
Mendis throws the ball toward Karunaratne. Akshar ran towards the non-striker’s end when Karunaratne hit the stumps with a throw. But, the ball did not hit the stumps and the characters survived.
After this lifeline in the 12th over, Akshar hit 3 sixes in 3 consecutive balls in the 14th. He got out after scoring 65 runs in 31 balls, but could not win his team. Akshar hit 6 sixes and 3 fours in his innings.
This is the first Fifty of his T20 International career. He made a quick 91-run partnership with Suryakumar Yadav. Both had pulled India out of the mouth of a humiliating defeat and brought them closer to victory.