Pune: Sri Lanka lived upto their world champions tag as they gave M.S. Dhoni and his men a massive reality check by defeating them by five wickets to win the first game of the three-match T20 series here on Tuesday.
India were bowled out for a paltry 101 with seven balls to spare. The Lankans replied with 105 for 5 in 18 overs.
The star for Sri Lanka was 22-year-old debutant Kasun Rajitha, who finished his spell of four overs for three wickets going for just 29 runs. Along with Dasun Shanaka (3-16), they ripped the Indian batting order on a green Pune pitch which assisted the bowlers tremendously. After put in to bat, the carnage began with the fall of two wickets in the first over.
Rohit Sharma, who had a good outing in Australia, went for the text book straight drive but found Dushmantha Chameera at mid-off. The Mumbai star batsman departed without troubling the scorers at all, giving Rajitha his first T20 wicket.
Shortly following Rohit was Ajinkya Rahane (4), who replaced Virat Kohli in this match.
Rahane went across the line but miscued the shot, finding the leading edge to be caught at short covers by Sri Lankan skipper Chandimal, much to the reception of an ecstatic Rajitha.
Rajitha was spot on. The only option left for the hosts was to take risks, which ultimately did not pay off.
Prior to his dream debut, Rajitha had turned out for a Sri Lankan XI at the Moin-ud Dowla cricket tournament in September in Hyderabad and done exceptionally well.
None of the Indian top order fired. Dhawan too didn’t find his mojo adding just nine runs to the target after Rajitha sent the Indian southpaw back.
SCOREBOARD
India: Rohit Sharma c Chameera b Rajitha 0, S. Dhawan c Gunathilaka b Rajitha 9, A. Rahane c Chandimal b Rajitha 4, S. Raina b Shanaka 20, Yuvraj Singh c & b Chameera 10, M.S. Dhoni c Dickwella b Shanaka 2, H. Pandya lbw b Shanaka 2, R. Jadeja lbw b Senanayake 6, R. Ashwin (not out) 31, A. Nehra c Siriwardana b Chameera 6, J. Bumrah (run out) 0. Extras (b-2, lb-1, w-8) 11. Total (in 18.5 overs) 101.
FoW: 1-0, 2-5, 3-32, 4-49, 5-51, 6-53, 7-58, 8-72, 9-100, 10-101.
Bowling: Rajitha 4-0-29-3, Perera 3-1-10-0, Senanayake 3-0-18-1, Chameera 3.5-0-14-2, Shanaka 3-0-16-3, Prasanna 2-0-11-0.
Sri Lanka: N. Dickwella c Dhawan b Nehra 4, M.D. Gunathilaka c Dhawan b Nehra 9, L.D. Chandimal lbw b Raina 35, C.K. Kapugedera lbw b Ashwin 25, T.A.M. Siriwardana (not out) 21, M.D. Shanaka c Raina b Ashwin 3, S. Prasanna (not out) 3. Extras (lb-3, w-2) 5. Total (for five wickets in 18 overs) 105.
FoW: 1-4, 2-23, 3-62, 4-84, 5-91.
Bowling: A. Nehra 3-0-21-2, J.J. Bumrah 4-1-19-0, R.A. Jadeja 3-0-18-0, H.H. Pandya 3-0-18-0, R. Ashwin 3-0-13-2, S.K. Raina
2-0-13-1.
