Hardik Pandya put in an all-round show and SKY shone again with the bat as India won the second T20I by seven wickets at Pallekele on Sunday (July 28) to take an unassailable 2-0 lead. 

Bowling first, Hardik Pandya (2/23) triggered a collapse and Ravi Bishnoi (3/26) joined the party to restrict the Lankans to 161/9.

In a rain-shortened chase of 78 off eight overs, SKY (26 off 12) and HP (22 from 9 balls) sizzled as India got to 81/3 in a canter with nine balls to spare.

Let us have a look at how the second T20I unfolded.

Good start for SL

Sri Lanka raced to 71/1 in eight overs after Arshdeep provided an early breakthrough. Though Bishnoi trapped last match’s top-scorer Pathum Nissanka, the Lankans were slowly chipping away with frequent boundaries.

Make way for Kungfu Pandya

Big Partnership! Need a wicket! Just toss the ball to Hardik Pandya and sit back. HP nearly got one in his first over but Rinku Singh slipped into the ropes after taking a catch.

Come the next over, HP the partnership breaker assumed centre stage. You ask for one, HP gives you two as he dismissed Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Perera just as they were looking to power SL to a huge total. And guess what, it is Rinku Singh who took both the catches.

From 130/2 to 161/9

Our bowlers showed character yet again, pulling things back in style. The last five overs fetched seven wickets and cost just 31 runs. Breathtaking!!! HP started it, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh (2/24) and Axar Patel (2/30) ended it. Kusal Perera’s 53 was the lone bright spot for SL.

Revised Target: 78 runs from 8 overs

Persistent rains tested our patience but the agony soon ended as India had a revised target of 78 from eight overs. Two boundaries in the first over started off the Indian innings in typical Jaiswal fashion.

Surya Dada sweeps, sweeps and sweeps……

SKY toyed with the Sri Lanka spinners sweeping them for fun and collecting boundaries. 

3.1 over - Maheesh Theekshana full around off, SKY sweeps for four.

3.2 over - Theekshana full toss, SKY sweeps again for four.

3.3 over - Theekshana full toss, Aapla Dada Surya brooms it away and guess what, a four again.

Sky played another unbelievable shot, a flick off Matheesha Pathirana before departing as he took India close.

Its 2-0!

HP with the ball started it all, and now HP with the bat finished it off, after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s whirlwind 30 from 15 balls.

Come on India! Let us go for a clean sweep in our last T20I scheduled on Tuesday, July 30 in Pallekele at 7 PM IST.

Brief scores: India 81/3 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 30, Suryakumar Yadav 26, Maheesh Theekshana 1/16, Matheesha Pathirana 1/18) BEAT Sri Lanka 161/9 (Kusal Perera 53, Pathum Nissanka 32, Ravi Bishnoi 3/26, Hardik Pandya 2/23) by seven wickets under DLS method.