Report: India Wins the T20 Series after Rohit Sharma's Carnage at the Holkar Stadium

After a convincing victory in the first T20 at Barabati Stadium, it was an absolute carnage as India were put to bat first after Sri Lankan captain Thisara Perera won the toss in the second T20 at Holkar Stadium in Indore. Sri Lanka finished 88 runs short after the new opening duo of Rohit Sharma, and Lokesh Rahul hammered the Lankan bowlers all over the park to help India post the second highest team total of 260 runs in a batting paradise.

Stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma displayed his brilliant batting skills as he muscled all the Lankan bowlers to equal the record of fastest hundred scored in T20 Internationals. He equalled David Miller’s record of scoring a T20 hundred in just 35 balls well cushioned by Lokesh Rahul as he went on to score 89 runs in just 49 balls with the help of 5 fours and eight sixes. Rohit, who was looking well in line to score 150 with ease was undone by a slower bouncer off Dushmantha Chameera as he was held at short third after scoring 118 runs in just 42 balls with the help 12 over boundaries and ten boundaries. MS Dhoni, and Hardik Pandya then chipped in with some quick runs to take India’s total to 260.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma Clobbers Thisara Perera For Four Consecutive Sixes

Sri Lankan captain Thisara Perera used as many as seven bowlers as the bowlers found it tough to pitch the ball in what can be called a batsman’s heaven. However, Perera and Nuwan Pradeep registered their name in the wicket column with two wickets each.

Also Read: India Equals the Record of the Most Number of Sixes in a T20I inning

Chasing a mammoth total, Sri Lankan batsmen went all guns blazing from the word go; however. They were unable to match the required run-rate. The visitors lost their first wicket in the form of Niroshan Dickwella at the score 36, but Kushal Perera hammered the Indian bowlers in an attempt to take his team over the line. Perera (77) alongside Upul Tharanga (47) stitched a 109 run partnership before Tharanga was caught by Chahal off his bowling.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma tops the charts of most number of Sixes in a T20I Inning

Sri Lanka lost the plot after Tharanga’s wicket as the young spinning duo of Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal bamboozled the Sri Lankan middle-order in the middle overs. Chahal bagged four after Kuldeep registered three in an over to knock off the Sri Lankans to clinch the series with one game still to play. Sri Lanka lost seven wickets in less than three overs in what can be called a good effort from the Sri Lankan top-order after the Rohit Sharma carnage. Sri Lanka finished at 172 runs with Angelo Mathews not coming out to bat due to an injury.

Also read: KL Rahul’s Incredible Shot For A Six

Sri Lanka will look to take some pride from the last match of the series as they take on India in the third T20 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai scheduled to be played on December 24 as India will look to test their bench strength for the upcoming South Africa tour.