India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the rain-curtailed fourth game of the Nidahas Trophy to move to the top of the table. Chasing 153 in 19 overs, India reached home in the 18th over
India started their chase in a disastrous manner. Out-of-form Rohit Sharma was first to depart when he fell to Akila Dananjaya for 11. India then suffered another huge setback when the in-form Shikhar Dhawan was also dismissed by the same bowler for 8. Both the openers were back in the hut with just 22 runs on the board.
KL Rahul and Suresh Raina then steadied the ship. However, just when it looked the duo has its eyes set, Raina perished while playing a rash shot to end the stand which was worth 40 runs. The southpaw scored 27 with the help of two fours and as many sixes. A little while later, Rahul departed too in the unluckiest of fashions. The right-handed batsman was out hit wicket after he could score only 18 as India were reduced to 85 for 4.
However, Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik then did not allow the hosts to make further inroads. The duo shared an unbeaten stand of 68 runs to take the team home with 9 balls remaining.
Earlier in the game, India fought back strongly to restrict Sri Lanka to 152 for 9. Sri Lanka were off to a blazing start with their openers – Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis- adding 25 runs off the first two overs. The stand was broken when Suresh Raina took a blinder to dismiss Gunathilaka. 9 runs later, Washington Sundar castled in-form Kusal Perera to put India on top.
However, Mendis did not allow India to make further inroads, playing big shots regularly to keep the scoreboard ticking at a good rate. He and Upul Tharanga added 62 runs for the third wicket before the latter was clean bowled by Vijay Shankar. Sri Lanka soon reached the 100-run mark in the eleventh over and were well on course for a big total. However, they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals from thereon and ended up on 152 for 9. Mendis top-scored for the hosts, scoring 55.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the match:
Splendid batting by Pandey and Karthik: cool head, picked gaps well, ran hard between wickets, quelled Sri Lankan challenge effectively
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/AllTimeBakchod/status/973261779391401985
L Rahul 1st Indian and joins nine others to be dismissed hit wicket in T20Is#SLvInd#NidahasTrophy2018
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 12, 2018
Tum run out nahi kar paye to kya hua mei khud wickets pe laat maarta hu.
– KL rahul
— BING (@ya_jhakaas) March 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/AllTimeBakchod/status/973251909464313857
India making heavy weather of overhauling modest total. Nothing to do with the climate in Colombo. Rather, state of mind of Indian batsmen
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 12, 2018
desh ke liye beijjati seh lenge.. lekin sharmaji ke launde ke talent pe full confidence hai humein.. https://t.co/35EgUDY5iU
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) March 12, 2018
#SLvIND the 7 crore A+ non performer is gone… @ImRo45 … ????
— The Iron Man Of India??? (@SSRIyer) March 12, 2018
Akila and Rohit love affair continues.?
Gud news is that he has to face him in #IPL2018 in nets only ?.#SLvIND— NazarBattu (@__Pad_foot__) March 12, 2018
Wonder if Sri Lanka tried to score too many? They had a lot of time. Have welcomed India back into the game.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 12, 2018
Sri Lanka… 152/9 in 19 overs (R/o: 8.00)
after 10.3 overs: 96/2 (R/o: 9.14)
next 8.3 overs: 56/7 (R/o: 6.59)#SLvInd#NidahasTrophy2018— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 12, 2018
Unbelievable transformation from @KusalMendis1. Looks like great player in the making #SLvIND
— ?? Rajith Wijepura ?? (@rajithw) March 12, 2018
Washington Sundar bowls 3 Powerplay overs at 6 rpo and takes one wicket. The other three PP overs go for almost double that. Very valuable.#SLvIND
— Joe Harris (@WhiteBallStats) March 12, 2018
Rajasthan Royals after watching #JaydevUnadkat fielding and bowling #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/iAGGm9Ejdj
— siju.krishnankutty (@iam_cju) March 12, 2018
Breaking news : Rajasthan royals suspended again from this year's ipl due to a big scam.
According to investigations they bought fraud unadkat for 12 crores.#NidahasTrophy #SLvIND
— Akki (@CrickPotato) March 12, 2018
Phew, for a moment I feared an India Sri Lanka game could get washed out #SLvIND
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 12, 2018