Team India are chasing a series victory in the second T20I of the series against Sri Lanka with Hardik Pandya opting to bowl in Pune. The side had won the opening game by 2 runs, with debutant Shivam Mavi producing a fine performance, taking four wickets in the game. The stadium for the second T20I – MCA Stadium in Pune – has a favourable history with the side batting first; however, Pandya decided to bowl.
Murali Kartik, who conducted the toss for the game, even pointed it out to Pandya that stats have favoured those batting first; however, Hardik had an epic reply. “Oh I didn't know that (teams batting first have better record here),” said the all-rounder.
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Earlier, Rahul Tripathi made his debut in the second T20I; in the first, Shivam Mavi and Shubman Gill made maiden appearances for the Indian team in the shortest format.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, Rahul Tripathi made his debut in the second T20I; in the first, Shivam Mavi and Shubman Gill made maiden appearances for the Indian team in the shortest format.
{{/usCountry}}Following the first T20I, India opener Ishan Kishan jumped 10 places to 23rd position while Deepak Hooda re-entered the top-100 in the latest ICC rankings for T20I batters.
Both moved upwards in the chart after their impressive performances in the first T20 International against Sri Lanka in Mumbai. Hooda moved up 40 places to 97th after his unbeaten 41 off 23 balls while Kishan was rewarded for his brisk 37-run knock at the top of the order.
The swashbuckling Suryakumar Yadav continued to hold the top spot for batters despite a rare failure in Mumbai.
India's T20I captain in the series, Hardik, up nine places to 76th among bowlers, is the other to move up the rankings. As far as Sri Lanka are concerned, Wanindu Hasaranga was once again a strong contributor against India with figures of 1/22 with the ball helping the right-armer move further clear as the top-ranked T20I bowler.