Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja smashed 58 runs from 26 deliveries to help India clinch the three-match series against Sri Lanka with seven wickets and 17 deliveries to spare in the second T20I at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday.
The win was India’s 11th consecutive in the format and the seventh series win on the trot at home.
Iyer starred once again with a 44-ball 74 while Ravindra Jadeja blasted 45 off 18 balls as India chased down the target of 184. Sanju Samson contributed 39 off 25 balls.
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India were dealt a massive blow early on as they lost their captain Rohit Sharma for one in the final ball of the first over, the successful bowler being Dushmantha Chameera.
Rohit was out bowled after Chameera delivered a short-of-a-good length ball that was angling back into the right-hander.
It was the ideal start for the visitors who enjoyed the cushion of defending a big total. They were rejoicing soon as Ishan Kishan (16) got out to Lahiru Kumara, the soft dismissal meaning India were reduced to 44 for two in the sixth over.
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However, Iyer and Samson added 84 from 47 deliveries, a partnership that not only steadied India’s innings but also brought them right back into the contest.
Samson struck three sixes and two fours during his entertaining stay in the middle.
Jadeja then smashed seven fours and a six.
Earlier, skipper Dasun Shanaka blazed away to an unbeaten 47 off a mere 19 balls after opener Pathum Nissanka top-scored with a 53-ball 75 as Sri Lanka set the hosts a stiff target.
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Having got himself in after his opening partner Danushka Gunathilaka (38 off 29 balls) laid the foundation, Nissanka cut loose and struck his runs at over 140. He found the fence 11 times until Bhuvneshwar Kumar got him on the final ball of the penultimate over.
However, Sri Lanka wouldn’t have got to what they eventually managed had it not been for Shanaka’s five massive sixes and two fours.