IND vs SL 1st T20I- After Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel joined for an emphatic partnership of 68 runs which helped India score 162. India defended resolutely to defeat Sri Lanka by two runs in the first T20I as young medium pacer Shivam Mavi claimed 4-22 on his debut and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
India started the first T20 of 2023 with 18 runs in the first over in which Ishan Kishan thrashed Kasun Rajitha. Sri Lanka made a comeback, thanks to some good bowling by Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahesh Theekshana, and Dhananjay De Silva. India was struggling at 94 for 5 of just 14.1 overs. Then came the most useful partnership of the match between Deepak Hooda and all-rounder Axar Patel that helped India to reach 162 of 20 overs.
Hardik Pandya, India’s T20 captain started brilliantly with the ball. He was wicketless but was the pick of the bowler for the Indian team. In his first game, Mavi took two wickets in his opening spell, delivering some solid lengths and keeping Sri Lanka under pressure from captain Hardik Pandya.
Wanindu Hasaranga and Dasun Shanaka, the captain of Sri Lanka, shared 40 runs for the sixth wicket, but just as they appeared destined to win the game, right-handed pacer Shivam Mavi ended their partnership by returning Hasaranga.
Hardik Pandya gave the responsibility to Axar Patel to defend 13 runs in the final over. Karunaratne hit a superb six on the 3rd ball. With 5 runs needed from 3 balls, Axar Patel came back superbly as India won by a small margin of 2 runs.
Shivam Mavi’s heroics, Deepak Hooda & Axar Patel’s partnership, and Hardik Pandya’s captaincy helped India lead by 1-0 in 3 match T20I series against Sri Lanka.