Watch: Axar Patel castles Pathum Nissanka with a peach to bring India back into the game

India all-rounder Axar Patel has brought his team back into the game in the ongoing first T20I against the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team. The first game of the three-match series between the teams is currently taking place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele.

After posting a total of 213 runs on the board, Sri Lanka have been sensational with the bat. They have put India under pressure with their brutal batting display and have made Indian bowlers look clueless. The main man behind that was opening batter Pathum Nisanka.

Pathum Nissanka was going great guns with the bat after having a slow start. But once he had his eyes set in, he made sure that he put his team in the dominating position. The right-hander hit the bowlers all over the park and was taking the game away from India.

But it was Axar Patel, who came up with a timely blow for his team. During the first ball of the 15th over, the all-rounder darted in a delivery from round the wicket on a length. The ball slid on with the arm, and Pathum Nissanka backed away to try and cut.

Pathum Nissanka got beaten by the pace of the ball by Axar Patel. The ball scooted under the blade of the batter to crash into the leg stump and send the batter packing at the crucial juncture of the game in the first match.

Here's the video:

pic.twitter.com/cL3idEtD1z

— Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (@Hanji_CricDekho) July 27, 2024

Pathum Nissanka played a vital hand for his team with the bat in the game. The right-hander almost sealed the match for his team. He ended with an inning of 79 runs off 48 balls. He batted with a strike rate of over 164 and slammed 7 fours and 4 sixes.

But after he got out, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Indian spinners Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Riyan Parag tilted the game in their team's favour. They bundled out the opposition for 170 runs and helped the team bag the win by 43 runs to start the series on high.

Indian bowlers staged a magnificent comeback as at one stage, Sri Lanka was cruising at 140/1. However, after that India put pressure back on Sri Lanka. They picked the remaining 9 wickets for 30 runs and sealed the same from the jaws of defeat to go 1-0 up in the series.

Suryakumar Yadav equals Virat Kohli's record of most Player of the Match awards in T20Is

India captain Suryakumar Yadav had a great outing with the bat as he led the team from the front. He played a vital innings and helped the team post a big total. He ended with an inning of 58 runs off 26 balls. He batted with a strike rate of over 223 and slammed 8 fours and 2 sixes in his innings.

For his knock, he won the Player of the Match award and equalled Virat Kohli's record of most awards in the shortest format of the game.

Most POTM awards in T20Is

16 - Suryakumar Yadav (69 mats)*

16 - Virat Kohli (125)

15 - Sikandar Raza (91)

14 - Mohd Nabi (129)

14 - Rohit Sharma (159)

14 - Virandeep Singh (78)