Team India leggie Yuzvendra Chahal becomes highest wicket-taker in T20s for 2017
Cuttack: Team India registered their biggest margin win in the T20 format on Wednesday after bundling out Sri Lanka for a paltry 87 in the first T20 at the Barabati Stadium here, eventually winning by 93 runs.
During the second innings, it was Yuzvendra Chahal that spearheaded the Indian bowling attack, becoming the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4-23. The leggie spun a web around the Sri Lanka batsmen that saw the Men in Blue snatch the game from Thisara Perera’s men right under their noses.
Not only did the Haryana spinner emerge as the Man of the Match, but also became the highest wicket-taking bowler in the shortest format this year. With 19 wickets to his name in the calendar year, he has surpassed Rashid Khan and Kesrick Williams to grab the top spot.
The 93-run win is India's biggest win in T20 Internationals, bettering the 90-run victory over England recorded in Colombo in September 2012 during the ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka.
Sent into bat, Rahul's classy fifty and some sensible batting from Mahendra Singh Dhoni (39 not out) and Manish Pandey (32 not out) powered India to a challenging total of 180 for three.
Chahal then finished with brilliant figures of 4 for 23, taking a wicket in each of his four overs to lead Sri Lanka's downfall as the visitors were bundled out for 87 in 16 overs on a dew-laden Barabati Stadium.
After the leg-spinner's guile, it was Kuldeep Yadav's turn to get into the act with figures of 2 for 18 as the wrist spin duo once again did the job for India. It was yet another pathetic batting show by the Sri Lankans, who showed little resistance as wickets kept tumbling after Upul Tharanga's 16-ball 23-run burst.
