Team India (Twitter)
India defeated Sri Lanka by 43 runs to pick up a comfortable win in Pallekele. Batting first, India were exceptional as they managed to play an aggressive brand of cricket. Rohit Sharma introduced it in white-ball cricket and under the new management, the Men in Blue managed to stick by it and got the result in the first T20I of the series.
Openers Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal gave the perfect start to team India as they stitched a crucial partnership of 74 runs. Gill smashed 34 runs off 16 deliveries while Jaiswal made 40 runs off 21 deliveries. Later, newly appointed T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav took care of the business as he made 58 runs off 26 deliveries. He hit the bowlers all across the park and set the right tone for the game.
After his dismissal, Rishabh Pant took care of the business. The keeper-batter played the role of an anchor in the beginning but changed gears towards the end and made 49 runs off 33 deliveries. The lower middle order failed to deliver as India posted 213 runs in the first innings. For Sri Lanka, Matheesha Parthirana was the star with the ball, as the youngster picked up four wickets.
Also Read – SL vs IND 2024: Why are Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube not playing first T20I?
When it came to the run chase, India looked in trouble in the first half. The hosts too started aggressively, which put the Men in Blue on the back foot for some time. Opener Kusal Mendis made 45 runs off 27 deliveries while Pathum Nissanka smashed 79 runs off 48 deliveries. The duo set the right momentum for the other batters to finish it off but Sri Lanka choked in the end.
After picking up the wicket of Nissanka, Indian bowlers put pressure on Sri Lanka and they didn’t know how to counter that. Wickets fell like a house of cards and just like that, the hosts lost the match. Riyan Parag bowled just eight deliveries and picked up three wickets while Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel picked up two wickets each. For Sri Lanka, their batters need to improve significantly to make a comeback in the series.
Here’s how X reacted to first T20I game between Sri Lanka and India:
India take a 1-0 lead in the series with a clinical victory 🙌#SLvIND: https://t.co/CPxoJ8LlRJ pic.twitter.com/VuCtkyv4XB
— ICC (@ICC) July 27, 2024
A blockbuster win in Kandy to kickstart #SLvIND 😍🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/jyqUAp9Brv
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) July 27, 2024
On many occasions lately India finished with above par totals in T20Is by small contributions at high SRs rather than long innings with average SRs. They scored 213-7 today vs SL without any batter facing more than 33 balls. #SLvInd
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) July 27, 2024
INDIA BEAT SRI LANKA IN THE 1ST T20I. 🇮🇳
– Its’s Just The Start Of captain Suryakumar Yadav’s Era👊#SuryaKumarYadev #SLvIND #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/ZJGWxZXOkk
— HASHIM BUTT (@Hashim41659037) July 27, 2024
Sri Lanka is playing like Sri lanka😂😂
From 140-1 (14) to 170-10 (19.2)💩💩
Sri Lanka scored 30 runs in last 32 balls and lost 9 wickets😂😂 against India B-team#INDvsSL #INDvSL #SLvsIND #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/XUMmGH8kyt
— Gautam (@Gautam90s) July 27, 2024
India won by 43 runs against Sri Lanka
4+3 =7 – Thala for a reason 💥💥#SLvIND
— Rockz☜ (@Rockz055) July 27, 2024
Well the middle order was pathetic🫠#SLvIND
— Oshadha Gunasekara (@OshadhaGunasek6) July 27, 2024
India win by 43 runs which looks comfortable but it was not .Sri Lanka were needing 56 runs in last 4 overs with 6 wickets remaining and then they met with a collapse to lose last 7 wickets for only 12 runs 😭 #SLvIND https://t.co/btQaNmG5O0
— Cricket on my mind (@bhuvifan2003) July 27, 2024
#RiyanParag would get an extension now after what would be called as first fancy move in SKY-GG era. #SLvInd #SLvsInd #IndvsSl #IndvSL
— movieman (@movieman777) July 27, 2024