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Ranchi, February 12
India produced an all-round performance to outclass Sri Lanka by 69 runs in the second T20I here on Friday to level the three-match series 1-1. Opener Shikhar Dhawan scored a quick-fire half-century (51 off 25) as India posted a challenging total of 196/6 in 20 overs. In reply, the visitors could manage only 127/9 in 20 overs.
Chasing a challenging target of 197, the visitors got off to a horrible start, losing experienced Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) in the very first over, bowled by R Ashwin. In the next over, Sri Lanka suffered another blow when Danushka Gunathilaka (2) was caught off an outside edge off the bowling of Ashish Nehra and the side was reduced to 3/2 in 1.1 overs. Tight bowling by both the Indian pacers and spinners saw the visitors lose wickets at regular intervals. With wickets falling in clusters, it became difficult for the middle and lower order batsmen to keep pace with the asking rate.
Earlier, the home side got off to an explosive start with both openers Rohit Sharma (43) and Dhawan going all out. India scored 70 runs in the powerplay as Dhawan brought up his 50 in just 22 balls. But in the final ball of the seventh over, Dhawan edged the ball to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal. The visitors got the second breakthrough when Chameera took a stunning catch off his own bowling to dismiss Rohit. Rahane, too, fell soon after, leaving India at 127/3 in 14.2 overs. From there on, Suresh Raina and Hardik Pandya helped India to a handsome total.
In the 19th over, Thisara Perera (3/33) got rid of Pandya, Raina and Yuvraj to clinch a hat-trick. — IANS
India
Rohit c & b Chameera 43
Dhawan c Chandimal b Chameera 51
Rahane c Dilshan b Senanayake 25
Raina c Chameera b Perera 30
Pandya c Gunathilaka b Perera 27
Dhoni not out 9
Yuvraj c Senanayake b Perera 0
Jadeja not out 1
Extras (lb-1, w-9) 10
Total (for 6 wickets, 20 overs) 196
Fall of wickets: 1-75, 2-122, 3-127, 4-186, 5-186, 6-186
Bowling
Rajitha 4-0-45-0
Perera 3-0-33-3
Senanayake 4-0-40-1
Chameera 4-0-38-2
Prasanna 3-0-21-0
Siriwardana 1-0-6-0
Shanaka 1-0-12-0.
Sri Lanka
Gunathilaka c Dhoni b Nehra 2
Dilshan st Dhoni b Ashwin 0
Prasanna c Yuvraj Singh b Nehra 1
Chandimal st Dhoni b Jadeja 31
Kapugedera c Pandya b Jadeja 32
Siriwardana not out 28
Shanaka c Raina b Ashwin 27
Perera c Rahane b Ashwin 0
Senanayake lbw b Bumrah 0
Chameera b Bumrah 0
Rajitha not out 3
Extras (w-3) 3
Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 127
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-3, 3-16, 4-68, 5-68, 6-116, 7-117, 8- 119, 9-119
Bowling
R Ashwin 4-0-14-3
A Nehra 3-0-26-2
Yuvraj Singh 3-0-19-0
R Jadeja 4-0-24-2
S Raina 2-0-22-0
J Bumrah 3- 0-17-2
H Pandya 1-0-5-0.
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