India vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I: As it happened

Courtesy: Twitter (@ICC)

An amazing performance by the Men in Blue. (SCORECARD/MATCH REPORT)

Yes, Sri Lanka did put in a good bowling performance to restrict India at 180, but the Indian bowlers put in a spectacular performance against the dew. Yuzvendra Chahal put in an amazing performance, figuring at 4-0-23-4.

Dhoni (39) and KL Rahul (61) covered it up for the Indians, after an early dismissal of Rohit Sharma. The Indian bowlers just blitzed past the Sri Lankan top order, forcing the middle order and lower order to finish off after 16 overs.

Yuzvendra Chahal gets the Man of the Match award.

India won by 93 runs, also their biggest T20I victory in terms of runs. They lead 1-0 against the Lankans.

India will meet Sri Lanka again on 22nd December, in Indore's Holkar Stadium, where they will be looking forward to sealing the series with a victory.

SRI LANKA INNINGS
TARGET 181

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Sri Lanka wins the toss, and skipper Perera opts to field.

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20 December 2017

22:16 PM

Over 16 || Score 87 All-Out

Hardik Pandya removes Fernando with Unadkat taking an easy outfield catch and India beat Lanka by 93 runs.

22:13 PM

Over 15.4 || Score 85/9 (Fernando 0(0))

A perfect delivery by Pandya, caught at deep square leg by Rahul and he catches it with ease.

Chameera c Rahul b Hardik Pandya 12(14).

In comes Nuwan Pradeep, right-handed batsman.

22:04 PM

Over 14 || Score 76/8 (Chameera 3(4))

Good over by Pandya, as he gets Dananjaya out in his final delivery of this over, and boy, he does take it nonchalantly.

Dananjaya c and b Hardik Pandya 7(7).

Vishwa Fernando, right handed batman, comes to the crease.

21:56 PM

Over 12.4 || Score 70/7 (Dananjaya 5(3))

Good delivery by Yadav, as he gets Perera out with ease. Its getting too easy for India.

Kusal Perera c Dhoni b Kuldeep Yadav 19(28).

In comes Dushmantha Chameera, right handed batsman.

21:51 PM

Over 11.1 || Score 62/6 (Perera 16(22))

Another stumping. Thisara is walking off. He knows it very well and has the integrity to do it. Respect for him. Chahal sends in a swinger, and Dhoni does his job.

Perera st Dhoni b Chahal 3(4).

In comes Akila Dananjaya, left handed batsman.

21:47 PM

Over 10.2 || Score 58/5 (Perera 15(21))

OUTTTTT!!!

Hardik Pandya runs in from long-on and takes an easy catch. Good ball by Yadav, he gets Shanaka out.

Shanaka c Hardik Pandya b Kuldeep Yadav 1(6).

In comes, Captain Thisara Perera, left-handed batsman.

21:38 PM

Over 9 || Score 54/4 (Perera 13(19))

Sri Lanka are lost in an abyss right. What a bowl by Chahal. He gets Gunaratne stumped. Even though Dhoni fumbles, he doesn't let Chahal down.

Gunaratne st Dhoni b Chahal 4(4).

Dasun Shanaka, right-handed batsman, comes to the crease.

Chahal has taken 3 wickets in this match till now. Will he take more?

21:33 PM

Over 7.2 || Score 46/3 (Perera 9(13))

Caught&Bowled!! End of Mathews.

He got the punch down early the ground and spooned a catch back to the bowler. Chahal takes it with ease.

Mathews c and b Chahal 1(7).

In comes Asela Gunaratne, right-handed batsman.

21:30 PM

Over 7 || Score 45/2 (Perera 8(12); Mathews 1(6))

Good over by Yadav, as he just concedes 5 runs.

21:16 PM

Over 4.5 || Score 39/2 (Perera 3(5))

Unbelievable!! Chahal bowls Tharanga out with a poor delivery, caught by Dhoni.

Tharanga c Dhoni b Chahal 23(16).

21:08 PM

Over 3 || Score 27/1 (Tharanga 12(8); Perera 2(2))

Lankans score 11 runs in this Pandya over, with Tharanga hitting a six in the  fourth delivery.

20:59 PM

Over 1.4 || Score 15/1 (Tharanga 2(2))

What a ball by Unadkat. He fools Dickwella with the slower delivery, too early into the shot, the bottom hand comes off and hence no power or elevation behind that shot, lobbed to extra cover where Rahul catches it. Unadkat gets his first T20I wicket.

Dickwella c Rahul b Unadkat 13(8).

In comes Kusal Perera, left handed batman.

20:49 PM

Over 1 || Score 11/0 (Dickwella 9(4); Tharanga 2(2))

The Lankans grab five runs in the final Pandya delivery, due to a Pandey error. Unnecessary mistake.

20:36 PM

Over 20 || Score 180/3 (Dhoni 39(22); Pandey 32(18))

What a shot by Dhoni in the final ball. He does what he does best, hitting Perera for a massive six.

India seal the final over, making 12 runs.

What a knock by MS Dhoni!! The crowd by already going crazy on his arrival, and he put on the show – The Dhoni Show.

India leave a target of 181 for the Lankans.

20:28 PM

Over 19 || Score 168/3 (Pandey 30(16); Dhoni 29(18))

Dhoni and Pandey are hitting the ball everywhere and Pradeep concedes 21 runs in this expensive over.

20:16 PM

Over 17 || Score 138/3 (Pandey 16(9); Dhoni 16(12))

Excellent showing by India in this over. They are three wickets down, but have the guts to start a rampage of shots.

Its an expensive over by Chameera as he concedes 19 runs, with three boundaries.

Dhoni and Pandey seems to understand the gravity of the situation, and are bringing it on.

20:09 PM

Over 14.3 || Score 112/3 (Dhoni 8(6))

Hat-trick of slower balls and Rahul failed to pick it. Perera gets him, and he does it right.

Rahul gets beaten on the inside edge, and its the end of a very good knock. Rahul b Perera 61(48).

In comes Manish Pandey, right-handed batsmen.

20:03 PM

Over 14 || Score 110/2 (Rahul 60(46); Dhoni 7(5))

Dananjaya concedes 8 runs in this over, including a four by Dhoni in the third delivery.

It was a rocket shot by Dhoni.

19:57 PM

Over 12.4 || Score 101/2 (Rahul 58(43))

What a delivery by Pradeep. Iyer tried to manufacture room and then the cut. The ball took the outer edge and was safely netted by the keeper.

Shreyas Iyer c Dickwella b Pradeep 24(20)

In comes MS Dhoni, India's right-handed batsman, wicketkeeper and former skipper.

Oh boy! Oh boy! The crowd goes berserk upon his arrival.

19:49 PM

Over 11 || Score 90/1 (Rahul 55(39); Iyer 16(14)

Rahul and Iyer are trying to keep their calm, as India grab six runs in this Fernando over.

Rahul and Iyer have built a  52 runs partnership stand.

Rahul reached his 50 in the 10th over.

19:39 PM

Over 9 || Score 75/1 (Rahul 43(30); Iyer 13(11))

Good showing from Rahul and Iyer. They give 10 runs in this over by an inspired Mathews.

In fact, in the fifth delivery, Rahul hit Mathews for a tremendous six.

19:38 PM

Over 7 || Score 53/1 (Rahul 25(22); Iyer 10(7))

A decent over by Angelo Mathews. He just concedes three runs and keeps his calm after his disallowed LBW of Iyer.

19:17 PM

Over 5 || Score 38/1 (Rahul 21(17); Rohit 17(13))

What a delivery by Mathews in the final ball of this over. Rohit tried to go aerial over mid-on and spliced the ball up thanks to the top end of the bat making contact. Chameera at mid-on came charging in and then dived forward to take it inches off the ground.

Rohit c Chameera b Mathews 17(13)

In comes Shreyas Iyer, the youngster aiming for a ton.

19:12 PM

Over 3 || Score 20/0 (Rohit 11(8); Rahul 9(10))

Chameera has bowled a good over, conceding seven runs.

Rahul hit him for a four on the fourth delivery.

19:01 PM

Over 1 || Score 10/0 (Lokesh Rahul 1(2); Rohit Sharma 9(4))

India hit 10 runs in the first over, bowled by Fernando – and Rohil hits him for a four in the second delivery itself.

18:49 PM

The teams are:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Upul Tharanga, Niroshan Dickwella(w), Kusal Perera, Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne, Thisara Perera(c), Dasun Shanaka, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananjaya, Vishwa Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep.

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Lokesh Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni(w), Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Jaydev Unadkat, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal.