SL vs IND 2024, 2nd T20I: Team India eyes series win after Suryakumar, Parag’s star show in opener

The Indian Team won the first T20I comfortably by 43 runs, thanks to a captain’s knock by Suryakumar Yadav and cameos from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant; however, it was the budding all-rounder Riyan Parag who hogged all the limelight with his career-best spell of 3/5 in 1.2 overs. With the second T20I scheduled for Sunday (Jul28), the Men in Blue will aim for a T20I series win under a new captain, SKY and head coach, Gautam Gambhir.

WATCH VIDEO –

In the absence of seasoned campaigners Rohit, Virat and Jadeja, who announced their T20I retirements last month, the Men in Blue shone as their bench strength came good in the first game. Young openers had their share of fun early on, while Pant began from where he had left during the T20 World Cup.

Suryakumar aced his way into hitting his maiden fifty as captain as India posted a mammoth 213 for seven batting first.

The Indian bowlers did struggle early on as the hosts posted 140 for one in 14 overs at one stage. However, the tables turned from Axar Patel’s next over, with Parag’s three wickets at the death handing India a win in the 1st T20I.

Team India eyes win in 2nd T20I

With both teams gearing up for the second T20I on Sunday, the Men in Blue will walk out buzzing with confidence. Though the management is unlikely to change the winning combination, an alteration in the batting order, given the match situation, is the best the fans could see in the name of change.

On the other hand, the newly-appointed Sri Lanka T20I captain, Charith Asalanka, admitted his team was not up to the mark; however, considering how they fought, mainly while chasing early on, the hosts might come in handy in the second game of the series.

“We were not up to the mark in the Powerplay, but in the latter part, we came back pretty strong,” Asalanka said after the 1st T20I.

Sri Lanka would have taken confidence from their outing in the 1st T20I, but India might again start as favourites in the second match.

Predicted Playing XIs of both teams –

Sri Lanka - Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana and Binura Fernando

India - Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj

(With inputs from agencies)