Lanka edge depleted India in second T20I, level series

Colombo: Sri Lanka defeated India by four wickets in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) to level the three-match series 1-1, here on Wednesday.

Invited to bat, a depleted India scored 132 for five on a sluggish pitch, but the hosts overhauled the target with two balls to spare.

Skipper Shikhar Dhawan top-scored for the Indians with his 40-run knock while Sri Lankan off-spinner Akila Dananjaya (2/29) took two of the five wickets that fell.

Dhanajaya de Silva made an unbeaten 40 while Minod Bhanuka scored 36 in Sri Lanka's reply. Indian leg spinner Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets.

 

Indians were forced to field only four specialist batsmen as well as a wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson after Covid-stricken Krunal Pandya and eight of his close contacts were left out of the squad.

Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Rana Rana, and Chetan Sakariya made their debut.

 

The final match of the series will be played on Thursday.

Brief scores: India 132 for 5 in 20 overs (S Dhawan 40, D Padikkal 29; A Dananjaya 2/29, D Shanaka 1/14, W Hasaranga 1/30) lost to Sri Lanka 133 for 6 in 19.4 overs (M Bhanuka 36, D de Silva 40 not out; K Yadav 2/30).