India Begin 2020 With A Bang, Complete Seven-Wicket Thrashing Of Sri Lanka In Indore

After the farcical washout in Guwahati, the Indian cricket team finally got some action in the new decade and in front of a sold-out crowd at the Holkar stadium in Indore, Virat Kohli's Indian cricket team put on a clinical exhibition. Shardul Thakur was the star with three wickets, combined with Kuldeep Yadav and Navdeep Saini's two wickets restricted Sri Lanka to 142/9. KL Rahul's blazing start at the top and Shreyas Iyer as well as Kohli's blitz at the end helped India register a seven-wicket win against Sri Lanka to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

India chose to bowl but Avishka Fernando and Danushka Gunathilaka gave Sri Lanka a solid start. Avishka, in particular, found the boundaries on a regular basis. Avishka hit Saini for two boundaries while Gunathilaka continued to hold firm at the other end. Kohli rotated his bowlers and it was Washington Sundar who struck when he removed Avishka for 22. Saini showed his class and he cleaned up Gunathilaka with a 147 kmph yorker. Kusal Perera showed his intention with a big six off Sundar and he tried to dominate Kuldeep Yadav with a slog sweep over deep midwicket. Kuldeep, though, had his revenge when he had Oshada Fernando stumped.

After another six by Kusal Perera, Kuldeep had his revenge when the batsman top-edged the lofted shot and Shikhar Dhawan took a smart catch at long on. When Saini dismissed Oshada Fernando with a pacy bouncer, Sri Lanka were staring down the barrel. Saini's spell included 13 dot balls and he ended with 2/18 and Indore found it's voice when Jasprit Bumrah, making a comeback into the Indian side after being sidelined for four months, got the wicket of Dasun Shanaka with a slower ball. Shardul Thakur took three wickets in the 19th over but Wanindu Hasaranga hit three boundaries in the final over bowled by Bumrah as Sri Lanka ended on 142/9.

KL Rahul lapped up the occasion and showed sublime touch as he capitalised during the powerplay. Malinga and Lahiru Kumara were dealt with confidently by Rahul while Dhawan was rusty on his comeback. The partnership crossed fifty in quick time and Rahul also neared a half-century but on 45, he looked to slog Hasaranga but was bowled. Dhawan, after getting a life due to a missed stumping, missed a sweep on 32 off the same bowler but Sri Lanka got the wicket off the review, with the ball just pitching on the leg stump line and hitting leg stump.

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During the middle overs, Sri Lanka seemed to have restricted India's scoring with Kohli and Iyer struggling to time the ball. However, with wickets in hand, India could afford to take the match deep and it paid off. Iyer broke the shackles with two boundaries and a six off Hasaranga as he killed the contest with the 17-run over. Kohli continued to dominate Malinga with a four and six as India neared a win. Iyer fell with India needing just six runs but fittingly, Kohli ended the innings with a one-legged pull shot which sailed for six off Kumara as India continued their unbeaten run in their Holkar fortress.

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