India continued their unbeaten streak in T20Is after defeating Sri Lanka in the second of the three-match series, and thereby also winning the series. After losing the toss and being put to bat first, the visitors set India a target of 184. And while that appeared a competitive target, an unbeaten 74 off 44 from Shreyas Iyer helped India wrap up the game in 17.1 overs. Ravindra Jadeja also played a blinder of an innings, scoring an unbeaten 45 off just 18. Rohit Sharma now has 14 out of 14 wins since being appointed the full-time captain of the Indian team. This is also India’s seventh consecutive bilateral T20I series win at home. Let’s take a look at the big talking points from the second T20I played in Dharamsala.
A good start by Pathum Nissanka and Dasun Shanaka
Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka, who was dismissed for a duck in the series opener, was his side’s highest run-scorer on Saturday. Nissanka hit an impressive knock of 75 runs off 53 deliveries that was laced with 11 boundaries. This is now the highest score by a Sri Lankan opener against India in T20Is. Previous highest was 61 by Tillakaratne Dilshan at Colombo in 2009. However, it was Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka’s knock that stood out. Shanaka scored a 19-ball 47 not out, during the course of which he hit five sixes and two boundaries. The duo helped take Sri Lanka to a competitive total of 183 runs in 20 overs, which is their highest T20I total against India since 2009. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s middle order disappointed once again, with the likes of Charith Asalanka, Kamil Mishara and Dinesh Chandimal unable to get going.
Another top-notch knock from Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer made the most of the opportunity to bat at no.3 in the absence of Virat Kohli, who has been rested for the T20I series. The hard-hitting batsman smashed 30-ball fifty and eventually remained unbeaten on 74 off 44. Iyer hit six boundaries and four maximums during his stay at the crease. Iyer added 35 runs with opener Ishan Kishan, 84 runs off 47 balls with Sanju Samson and an unbeaten 58 runs with Ravindra Jadeja. Earlier in the first T20I, the right-hander had smashed a 25-ball fifty.
Ravindra Jadeja’s all-round show
Coming in to bat at number five, Ravindra Jadeja scored an unbeaten 45 off just 18 balls, hitting seven boundaries and a maximum. His knock, which came at a strike rate of 250, helped India chase down 184 in 17.1 overs. Earlier in the game, Jadeja also picked up a wicket, that of opener Danushka Gunathilaka.
India on a winning spree
Rohit Sharma now has 14 out of 14 wins since being appointed the full-time captain of the Indian team. This was also his 16th home win as a T20I captain, the most by any captain Eoin Morgan and Kane Williamson have 15 wins each at home in T20Is. This is also India’s seventh consecutive bilateral T20I series win at home. Additionally, India have now won their last four T20I series against Sri Lanka at home and this was also their 10th consecutive T20I win at home. Overall, this is India’s 11th consecutive win in T20Is. Only once before has a full-member nation won as many or more consecutive matches in the shortest format. Afghanistan won 12 T20I games on a trot in 2018-19.
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