India prevailed over Sri Lanka by two runs in a last-ball thriller in the first T20I of the three-match series on Tuesday at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first, restricting the hosts at 162/5 in 20 overs. The Men in Blue were struggling at 94/5 before all-rounders Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel stitched a 68-run partnership for the sixth wicket to secure a fighting total. In reply, the visitors batted really well to close in on the target, with captain Dasun Shanaka's brilliant 45 off 27 balls but were bowled out for 160 in 20 overs.
The crucial 68-run partnership between Hooda and Axar proved to be the gamechanger for India. With their terrific partnership, the duo went past MS Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan's feat (against England in June 2009) in the list of highest sixth-wicket stand for Team India in T20Is. Hooda-Axar now sit at the second spot in the list, just behind Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya’s 70-run stand against England at Narendra Modi Stadium in March 2021.
Player of the Match Hooda remained unbeaten on 41 off 23 balls which included four massive sixes and one four while Axar contributed an unbeaten 31 off 20 balls, hitting one six and three fours. Besides the two, Ishan Kishan and captain Hardik Pandya played handy knocks for Team India. Ishan scored 37 off 29 balls while Pandya hit 29 off 27 balls.
Among India's bowlers, debutant fast bowler Shivam Mavi clinched four wickets in a fairytale start to his career for the Men in Blue. Umran Malik and Harshal Patel scalped two wickets each in the match.
{{/usCountry}}Among India's bowlers, debutant fast bowler Shivam Mavi clinched four wickets in a fairytale start to his career for the Men in Blue. Umran Malik and Harshal Patel scalped two wickets each in the match.
{{/usCountry}}In the last over of the match, Sri Lanka needed 13 runs to win, with two wickets left. India's Axar held his nerves as he gave away only 10 runs and secured a thrilling win for the hosts.
The second T20I match between India and Sri Lanka will be played on Thursday, January 05.