It is uncommon for a cricket series to unfold in Sri Lanka without rain unsettling the proceedings in at least a game.
Sunday’s 2nd T20I in Pallekele ensured the ‘tradition’ stayed true as India pipped Sri Lanka by seven wickets in a rain-disrupted match to seal the series 2-0.
India hunted down a DLS-adjusted 78-run target in just 6.3 overs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya stitching up the win with some flashy stroke play.
The game, which started nearly an hour late due to a wet outfield, was called to a halt in the first over of the Indian chase when the skies opened up.
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The Indian openers returned to the middle just over an hour later, with Jaiswal restarting the chase by swatting Dasun Shanaka to the deep mid-wicket fence for a four.
Sanju Samson, who replaced an injured Shubman Gill, was caught off guard first ball by a quicker off-break from Maheesh Theekshana which disturbed his stumps.
But, skipper Suryakumar and Jaiswal employed the sweeps and the reverse sweeps to great effect to negate the Lankan spin threat of Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga, propelling India closer to the target.
This, included a hat-trick of swept fours from Suryakumar against Theekshana. The 33-year-old batter followed it up by audaciously flicking a fuller one from Matheesha Pathirana over deep fine leg’s head for six.
The Lankan bowlers managed to dismiss both Jaiswal and Suryakumar. But in the end, it proved to be too little too late as India romped home easily.
Earlier, Sri Lanka endured another middle-order collapse to settle for what proved to be a sub-par total of 161 for nine wickets.
Riding on a free-flowing fifty from Kusal Perera, Sri Lanka was well-placed at 130 for two at the 15-over mark after being inserted by Suryakumar. But much like in the series opener, where it lost its last nine wickets for 30 runs, the home side crumbled in the death
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Sri Lanka got off to a strong start courtesy of Mohammed Siraj’s erratic line in the first over. The Indian pacer offered width to Pathum Nissanka, who slapped it through covers for a four. Then, Siraj drifted into Kusal Mendis’ pads and was duly clipped away for another four.
Perera, who came in at one-down, too started by taking on Siraj. First, he pulled the Indian bowler flat into the advertisement hoarding with a shot laced with swagger. That was followed by a bottom-hand-driven punch which flashed past mid-on for a four, earning Perera some applause from the Lankan coach Sanath Jayasuriya.
Perera also had luck in his favour as he reached his fifty after he pulled a Hardik Pandya short ball into the hands of Rinku Singh, only for the Indian fielder to slip and slide into the boundary rider.
Hardik’s bouncer ploy eventually bore fruit as he had Perera and Kamindu Mendis caught by Rinku at deep square leg, triggering the home side’s collapse as it lost its last seven wickets for the addition of just 31 runs, with Ravi Bishnoi ending with a three-wicket haul.
