Match Details

IND vs SL assets, IND vs SL 2021

133-619.4

Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets

IND

20.0132-5

Match info

Live

Scorecard

Player of the Match

SL - 2nd Innings

Session	Open	PASS
6 Over	40	36
10 Over	63	58
15 Over	90	94

IND - 1st Innings

Session	Open	PASS
6 Over	50	45
10 Over	75	61
15 Over	102	94
20 Over	145	132

Commentary

That brings us to an end of our coverage from Onecricket and Cricket Exchange. Do join us tomorrow for the decider. Till then it's ta-ta and goodnight from Arya Sekhar Chakraborty on the behalf of my co-commentator Kingshuk Kusari.

Mickey Arthur, Sri Lanka coach- Yeah ofcourse we needed to win. Quite tough to keep the guys focus on the challenge. We are a transitional team. We should have got there as a canter today but we will take this win. Exactly right, Our game plan was different. We knew India had five batsmen and couldn't risk going for the big shots. We knew if we bowl well, they couldn't g too hard. We knew we have a target we felt we could chase down and so it panned out. We were not as clinical with the bat as we would have liked. We are seven batsmen down as well. Through injures and the three guys facing a suspension. We have tried so hard to clarify the roles and Chamika Karunaratne has done a great job. He would go to the nets and train very hard. Running around the ground, showed that he wanted to play and then when he got a chance in England due to injury to other he grabbed it with both hands. He is a gun in the field and exactly the player we want. We have to be realistic. For India to actually come out and play it was fantastic. We want to get better and better everytime we play. We are trying to create the depth in our batting line-up. We are looking for these guys to get some experience and playing the Indian spinners will give them good practice going forward.

Arya: Dhawan nudged singles and doubles and was eventually dismissed on 40 of 42 deliveries. None of the batsmen could get going in the middle overs. Padikkal played some good shots during his stay at the crease. It was the innings of Sanju Samson which played a role in India losing the momentum completely. Both Akila Dananjaya and Wanindu Hasaranga bowled brilliantly in the middle overs and bagged three crucial wickets among themselves. Some tight bowling in the death overs eventually restricted India to a score of 132 runs in 20 overs.

Arya: Coming back to the match, it was Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka who won the toss and opted to field. With a batsman down, India opened proceedings with debutant Ruturaj Gaikwad and skipper Shikhar Dhawan. Both played some delightful shots in their respective stays. Gaikwad ended up playing a mistimed pull shot which brought about his downfall. Dhawan and Padikkal started resurrecting the innings and given the fact, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was batting at No 6, they couldn't quite press on the accelerator.

That brings us to an end of the presentation ceremony.

Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka skipper- I didn't feel we needed to bat first. We knew that we needed to keep them to a manageable score. The strategy was to go hard in the first 6 overs. We were not able to utilise the powerplay. Then I came up, de Silva played well and then Chami finished it off. That's more important. All the boys are performing in different situations it's a plus point. We can use these players in different situations. I thank BCCI and SLC to organise the tournament. It's huge opportunity for these Sri Lankan players to play against such a strong side.

Shikhar Dhawan, Indian skipper- Not surprised with the way the pitch played. It stopped a bit, we knew that it was going to be like this. Ofcourse we knew we were one batsmen short. We knew we had to content ourself. I am happy that all of us put their hands up today. We were 10-15 runs short which could have made a difference. Very proud of the boys. Shows the character of the boys to defend such a small score.

Dhananjaya de Silva- Yes ofcourse I am very satisfied. One over matters. We knew that if we get 15 runs from one more we can chase that down. We know when you play against India it's always difficult. Lucky to be on the winning side today. I thought this is my opportunity to do well for Sri Lanka and I am happy I did that.

Dhananjaya de Silva bags the Player of the Match Award

Time for the presentation ceremony.

Arya: With 34 required of the last 4 overs, Sri Lanka needed someone to be there till the end and it was Dhananjaya de Silva and Chamika Karunaratne who took the onus on himself to get their side over the line. With 20 required of the last two, Bhuvneshwar Kumar came onto bowl the penultimate over and his full toss of the 3rd delivery totally shifted the scales in favour of the home team and from there on it was a relatively easy job for them. In the end, de Silva nudged one away down the leg side to complete the victory. Off to the decider now tomorrow.

Arya: It was an exceptional display of spin bowling by Kuldeep Yadav and Rahul Chahar in the middle overs. Kuldeep who has struggled in the recent times reminded us of his best days as he made full use of the helpful conditions and bagged two crucial wickets to peg the hosts back. Dhananjaya de Silva ensured that one end was taken care off and nudged along the scoring rate. Wanindu Hasaranga played a brief cameo which got them close but his dismissal again tilted the scales in favour of India.

Arya: Sri Lanka got off to a dodgy start and it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who provided India with the maiden breakthrough in the form of Avishka Fernando. After a stretch of a couple of overs each from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and debutant Chetan Sakariya, Dhawan handed over the ball to Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar in the last two overs of the powerplay. Chakravarthy got his scalp in his 2nd over when he breached the defence of Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Arya: What a nail-biting thriller it turned out to be and in the end Dhananjaya de Silva and Chamika Karunaratne held their nerves and ensured that they reached the target with a couple of deliveries to spare. It was an impressive showing with the ball by the young Indian bowling brigade but in the end the target didn't prove to be enough.

19.4 C Sakariya to Silva

1 Done! Sri Lanka level the series. Silva has done brilliantly to get the result. Around the wicket from Sakariya, Silva places the wide yorker to point and takes a quick single. Sri Lanka win and they take the series to the final game.

19.3 C Sakariya to Silva

2 Short ball directed at the head. Silva calmly places his pull to the leg side and takes the full advantage off the long side and takes two runs. Very very safe by the batsman.

19.2 C Sakariya to Silva

2 Slower ball once again. Silva carves it up to point, where the fielder dives to his left and gets a desperate hand to it to stop a boundary. Sri Lanka pinch two once again.

19.2 C Sakariya to C Karunaratne

1wd One Byes. Samson fumbles behind the stumps. Wait, 2 runs, wide called as well. Karunaratne misses the slog against a ball that is pushed very wide, flirting with the tramline. Chetan Sakariya is not happy at all.

19.1 C Sakariya to Silva

1 Last over of the game. 8 needed. Salariya starts with a back of the hander slower length ball. Silva is looking to slog but fails. Just one to square leg. Good start by both sides.

OVER 19

Sri Lanka

125/6

Chamika Karunaratne

12(6)

Dhananjaya de Silva

34(30)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

1-21(4.0)