Young medium pacer Shivam Mavi claimed 4-22 on debut as India defended a modest total of 162 to beat Sri Lanka by two runs in the thrilling first T20I and take 1-0 lead in the three-match series at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Tuesday.
India started 2023 with victory thanks to some good bowling by Mavi, Harshal Patel and Umran Malik as they prevailed over Sri Lanka in a last-ball thriller.
India wanted to take early wickets to put Sri Lanka under strain with only a modest 162 to defend, and they succeeded in doing so, finally bowling them out for 160 in 20 overs.
In his first game, Shivam Mavi took two wickets in his first stint. Harshal Patel added two more, and Umran Malik grabbed one as India sent back five Sri Lankan batters for 68 runs. Shanaka, the captain of Sri Lanka, and Wanindu Hasaranga added 40 runs for the sixth wicket, but just as they appeared poised to win the game, Mavi ended their stand by removing Hasaranga.
As Sri Lanka slipped to 108/6 in the 15th over, Hardik Pandya claimed a fine catch while returning to the field after leaving for medical attention while experiencing a spell of cramping.
While Harshal Patel was hit for a six and a four in the 16th over, Shanaka continued to be Sri Lanka's dangerman and delivered some lusty blows to get Sri Lanka to 34 off 20 balls. The teenage pacer had the last laugh when he had the Sri Lankan captain caught in the deep by Chahal in the same over, putting the final nail in the Sri Lankan team's coffin. He gave Umran Mailk the same treatment in the following over.
Chamika Karunaratne, who hit a few of sixes to get Sri Lanka to the final over needing 13 runs, added one last twist to the game. Before Kasun Rajitha was run out off the fifth delivery while trying to score a second run, Axar Patel bowled a wide and was hauled for a six by Karunaratne.
India defeated Sri Lanka by three runs after Sri Lanka needed four runs off the final delivery but Karunaratne was unable to smash him out and Dilshan Madushanka was run out while attempting a second run. When Mavi sent back Maheesh Theekshana for one, caught by Suryakumar Yadav at long-off with a length ball outside off, he completed his four-fer, opening the door for India.
With his maiden T20I wicket on his debut, Mavi gave India the advantage in his first over. The young bowler displayed outstanding fortitude by striking after Kusal Mendis smashed back-to-back boundaries in his opening over. In his second over, Mavi made a great comeback and sent Nissanka back, blasting one through the game to rattle the stumps.
When he persuaded the batter to spoon a catch to Sanju Samson with a slower pitch, Dhananjaya de Silva became his second victim.
When India was given to bat by Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka, who won the toss, they managed to reach 162/5 in 20 overs thanks to a quick-fire half-century partnership between Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel.
Hooda hammered 41 not out off 23 deliveries, hitting one boundary and four sixes while Patel struck 31 not out off 20 balls (three fours and one six) as India recovered from a precarious 94/5 in the 15th over to post a decent total.
Brief scores: India - 162/5 in 20 overs (Deepak Hooda 41 not out, Axar Patel 31 not out, Ishan Kishan 37, Hardik Pandya 29; Chamika Karunaratne1-22, Maheesh Theekshana 1-29) defeated Sri Lanka 160 all out in 20 overs (Dasun Shanka 45, Chamika Karunaratne 23 not out; Shivam Mavi 4-22, Harshal Patel 2-41, Umran Malik 2-27) by two runs