Kusal Perera’s blazing half-century trumped Shikhar Dhawan’s 49-ball 90 as Sri Lanka defeated India in the opening T20I of the Nidahas Trophy tri-series by five wickets at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday. Riding on Perera’s 37-ball 66, the hosts chased down 175 in 18.3 overs.
Perera smashed Indian bowlers all ar♕ound the park with pacer Shardul Thakur bearing the brunt of his assault, leaking 27 runs in his first over. The southpaw reached his 8th T20I half-century off 22 deliveries. By the time he was stumped, Sri Lanka needed just 48 runs from seven overs. Yu🔯zvendra Chahal and Shardul then bowled some tight overs between them to make the chase interesting but Thisara Perera (unbeaten 22) and Dasun Shanaka (18 not-out) wiped off the arrears comfortably to seal two points.
Earlier in the match, Sri Lanka won the toss and put Rohit Sharma & Co. to set the tally on the board. Sri Lankan bowlers were spot-on right from the word go thus sending Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina back to the hut in first two overs. But, the stylish southpaw, Shikhar Dhawan once again showed his class by thwacking the Lankan bowlers all over the park with his giant strokes, helping India to set a decent score of 174/5 on the board.
Here is how Twitter reacted to Sri Lanka’s win over India in the tri-series opener:
Weldone boys. Good team effort.
— Sanath Jayasuriya (@Sanath07)
Sri Lanka today successfully chased a target o🧸f 175 runs:
– Second highest for them in T20Is
– Second highest in Sri Lanka in T20Is— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman)
India lost the game conceding so many in the Powerpl😼a🌌y.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS)
what Sri Lanka did to Rohit Sharma today
— Arun Lol (@dhaikilokatweet)
//twitter.com/SamreenRazzaqui/status✃/971066936758030339
Top knock by Kusa💯l Perera and well done to for their victory in the𓄧 opening match of the !
— Island Cricket (@IslandCricket)
Even the most staunchest Indian fan should stand up and applaud Perera's knock- such clean hitting. Lanka deserve this win
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73)
//twitter.com/dilbagkoundal/status/971068223𝐆780106240
Sri Lanka Beat India By 5 Wickets. ♎Meanwhile Rohit Sharma To Shardul Thakur. 😡😠😒
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja)
Bhai ye log nahi jeetenge apne bina
— Karan Talwar (@BollywoodGandu)
When you learn there’s a light year diffe💜rence between captaining Mumbai Indians and Indian team..
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket)
//twit🅠ter.com/HitmanCricket/sta𒀰tus/971066909335670784
/♕/twitter.com/arunhitaishi/status/971024420125818886
//twitter.com/KaranArjunS🎐m/status/✃971211732516405248