Patel, Suryakumar half-centuries in vain as India lose to Sri Lanka by 16 runs in T20I series

PUNE: A brilliant half-century by all-rounder Axar Patel and his blazing 91-run partnership with Suryakumar Yadav (51) went in vain as India failed to recover from early setbacks and lost to Sri Lanka by 16 runs in the second T20I of the three-match series at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, here on Thursday.

Axar Patel hammered 6 sixes and two boundaries in his brilliant 31-ball 65 and Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Mavi (26 off 15) dragged India from a precarious position to condition when they needed 20 off the last six deliveries.

But in the end, the task was too stiff for the Gujarat batter who played some sensational shots including three sixes off successive deliveries in the 14th over. Dasun Shanaka got him out in the final over as India's hopes ended.

India looked in deep trouble after losing four wickets for 34 runs and it became 57/5 in the 10th over before Yadav and Patel came together for a 91-run partnership that had the 30,460 spectators rocking and cheering.

However, in the end, it proved too good to last as they were restricted to 190/8, falling short by 16 runs as Sri Lanka levelled the three-match series 1-1.

Earlier, opener Kiusal Mendis and skipper Dasun Shanaka blasted quick-fire half-centuries as Sri Lanka powered to 206/6 off 20 overs.

Mendis hammered a 31-ball 52 and Shanaka raced to an unbeaten 56 off 22 balls, hitting the fastest fifty on this ground off 20 deliveries as Sri Lanka made merry against an Indian attack that struggled to make a mark.

After Mendis had given the visitors a good start by racing to his fifty off 27 deliveries on being asked to bat first, Shanaka went better as he blazed to a half-century off 20 balls -- both of them feasting on some ineffective medium-pace bowling.

Shanaka was totally dominant in the death overs and with Charith Asalanka hammering a 19-ball 37, Sri Lanka blasted 77 runs for loss of two wickets in the last five overs, thus reaching the second-highest score on this ground.

For India, Umran Malik claimed 3-48 while Axar Patel took 2-24. Shivam Mavi, the hero of India's 2-run victory in the first match, conceded 53 runs without success in four overs while Arshdeep, who was brought in place of Harshal Patel, gave away 37 runs off two overs, sending down five no-balls in the process.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 206/6 in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 52, Dasun Shanaka 56 not out, Charith Asalanka 37, Pathum Nissanka 33; Umran Malik 3-48, Axar Patel 2-24) beat India ?190/8 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 51, Axar Patel 65, Shivam Mavi 26; Dasun Shanaka 2-4, Kasun Rajitha 2-22, Dilshan Madushanka 2-45) by 16 runs. IANS

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