IND vs SL 2023: Sri Lanka survive Axar Patel scare to level series

The two sides will now face each other on Saturday, January 7, for the third and decider T20I.

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Axar Patel
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Axar Patel. (Photo Source: BCCI)

After seeing the level of competition in the first T20I, the second game too was expected to be a thriller. After a sluggish start, Indian batters put up a thrilling performance but Sri Lanka outperformed to bounce back stronger and leveled the series by winning the second game by 16 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (MCA) in Pune. 

At what was said to be a batter-friendly pitch, Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first. Sanju Samson’s injury led to him being ruled out of the remainder of the series, and Rahul Tripathi earned his T20I debut. Looking at how Indian bowlers handled pressure in the previous game, the fans had anticipated another similar show, but Sri Lankan batters had come prepared.

Arshdeep Singh gave away three no-balls in just the second over of the game, which let the Sri Lankan openers score 19 runs off it. Five bowlers were deployed within the powerplay, but none could take the rival openers down as the Islanders put up 55 runs in the powerplay. It was late in the ninth over that Yuzvendra Chahal got India the crucial breakthrough by dismissing Kusal Mendis.

Umran Malik soon sent Bhanuka Rajapaksa packing in the very next over, but Sri Lanka still were dominant till the first half of the innings. Axar Patel managed to pick up two wickets in his final two overs, but the Sri Lankan batters had a solution to every Team India’s strategy. Charith Asalanka’s quick-fire 19-ball 37 and skipper Dasun Shanaka’s carnage (56* off 22) in the death overs led to Sri Lanka posting 206/6 on the scoreboard in their allotted 20 overs.

Sri Lanka let the innings loose, but regain momentum to win the game

India’s start to the chase was terrible, as openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill walked back in the second over, courtesy of Kasun Rajitha. To add to their misery, Dilshan Madushanka sent debutant Tripathi packing in the next over as India were reduced to 27/3 at the end of the third over. Skipper Hardik Pandya too failed to impress and was dismissed in the fifth over scoring a run-a-ball 12 as the Men in Blue ended the powerplay scoring 39 runs at the loss of four major wickets.

Lat game’s hero Deepak Hooda too gave away his wicket cheaply, but it was the partnership between Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav that brought India back in the game. They built up the innings steadily, but went berserk in the 14th over, and hit Wanindu Hasaranga for 26 runs in the over, including four sixes. They kept the momentum going and got 15 runs off the next over.

The duo claimed their respective half-centuries and added 91 runs in just 40 deliveries for the sixth-wicket partnership. Even after Yadav’s dismissal, Patel kept going and Shivam Mavi joined him in the fireworks. The game came down to the final over, when India required 21 to win, and Sri Lanka took a risk by giving the ball to Dasun Shanaka for his first over of the game.

India were alive in the game because of Axar Patel, but his innings came to an end in the final over when Shanaka managed to dismiss him. Patel played a brilliant innings, scoring 65 runs off 31 deliveries, including three fours and six sixes, but his wicket put curtains to India’s hopes of winning the game and Sri Lanka claimed a 16-run victory to level the series.

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