India put up a clinical all-round performance to win the first game of the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka by a comprehensive margin of 38 runs at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo. Defending 164, India bowled Sri Lanka out for 126 in 18.3 overs with Bhuvneshwar Kumar taking 4-22.
Chasing 165 on a sluggish surface against the versatile Indian bowling attack was always a stiff ask. Throughout their innings, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals. As a result, their run chase never found any momentum. Apart from Charith Asalanka (44 off 26 balls), there was no significant contribution from any other Sri Lankan batter.
Sri Lanka were 107/4 at the end of 15 overs. However, once Deepak Chahar got Asalanka, their lower middle order crumbled under pressure. From 111/4, the last six wickets added another 15.
For India, Yuzvendra Chahal (1-19) bowled economically to build the pressure in the middle overs, whereas debutant Varun Chakravarthy (1-28) took a wicket towards the end.
Earlier, losing the toss and batting first, India lost debutant Prithvi Shaw in the first ball of the match. At No. 3, Sanju Samson scored a 20-ball 27. Suryakumar Yadav joined captain Shikhar Dhawan (46 in 36 balls) at 51/2.
The pair added 62 for the third wicket, and it was primarily because of their efforts that India managed to post 164/5. They kept a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack at bay and scored runs with at a fair pace. Ishan Kishan provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 20 in 14 balls with a four and a six.
The Sri Lankan bowling efforts were powered by impressive spells from Wanindu Hasaranga (2-28) and Dushmantha Chameera (2-24).
The second T20I of this series will be played on Tuesday, 27 July.
Brief scores: India 164/5 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 50; Dushmantha Chameera 2-24) beat Sri Lanka 126 in 18.3 overs (Charith Asalanka 44; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-22) by 38 runs. Player of the match: Bhuvneshwar Kumar.