Indian cricket team secured a decisive victory against Sri Lanka in the rain-affected second T20I match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, thus sealing the series. Sri Lanka, after winning the toss, posted a total of 169 for nine in their allotted 20 overs. However, rain played a significant role in the match, reducing India’s target to 78 runs in eight overs. India comfortably chased down the revised target, wrapping up the game with nine balls to spare.
Sri Lanka appeared poised for a strong finish, thanks to Kusal Perera’s half-century and several fifty-run partnerships. At 130/2 after 15 overs, the hosts were in a strong position. However, a dramatic collapse in the final overs saw them lose seven wickets for just 39 runs, ending their innings with a below-par score.
Rain interrupted the game just three balls into India’s innings, causing a delay of over an hour. When play resumed, India made light work of the revised target despite losing Sanju Samson to a golden duck. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suryakumar Yadav set a solid foundation with a 39-run partnership off just 13 balls. Hardik Pandya then finished the game in style, hitting an unbeaten 22 off nine balls, including two consecutive boundaries, to secure India’s second consecutive win in the series.
Gautam Gambhir’s Coaching Debut and Future Plans
The victory marked an impressive start for Gautam Gambhir in his new role as head coach of the Indian team. It was also the first series win for Suryakumar Yadav as a full-time T20I captain. The two were seen having an intense discussion post-match, reflecting on the team’s performance and future strategy.
In the post-match presentation, Suryakumar Yadav discussed India’s approach and their plans leading up to the 2026 T20 World Cup. “We spoke about this before this tournament – what brand of cricket we want to play. Even if it’s a shorter target or whatever target we are chasing, this is the template which we would like to go ahead with,” he said, emphasizing the team’s commitment to an aggressive and consistent playing style.
India will play the final match of the series against Sri Lanka at the same venue on Tuesday, aiming to complete a series sweep and further solidify their preparation for future international tournaments.
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