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Given his high pace and lack of accuracy, Malik can be erratic at times. But in the first T20I, he bowled hard lengths to pick up 2 for 27 from his four overs. One of those overs was at the death, where he tilted the game towards India with Dasun Shanaka’s wicket, who had struck a quickfire 45.
The duo’s performances meant the hosts took a 1-0 lead despite lapses in batting and fielding. At one stage, it looked like they would struggle to reach even 150 after being reduced to 94 for 5 in the 15th over. While defending, Sanju Samson dropped a catch, and their ground fielding was found wanting as well.
Form guide
India WTWLW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLWLL
In the spotlight
Team news
If Arshdeep is available, Malik may have to sit out. Barring that, India may not make any other changes, especially with Hardik, on more than one occasion, talking about backing his players.
India (probable): 1 Ishan Kishan (wk), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Sanju Samson, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt), 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 Shivam Mavi, 10 Arshdeep Singh/Umran Malik, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal
Sri Lanka may consider bringing in Lahiru Kumara for Kasun Rajitha, who went for 47 in his four wicketless overs in the first T20I.
Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Dhananjaya de Silva, 4 Charith Asalanka, 5 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Kasun Rajitha/Lahiru Kumara, 11 Dilshan Madushanka
Pitch and conditions
Unlike many other venues, teams batting first at the MCA stadium, across all T20s, have won more games than chasing teams: 34 vs 29. On a black-soil surface here, spinners have done slightly better than fast bowlers, their economy being 7.37 as compared to 7.97 for seamers. Once again, there is not much dew expected, with the temperature at night hovering around 18°C.
Stats and trivia
- In all T20s, Hasaranga has dismissed Samson six times in 34 balls while giving away only 25 runs.
- Among those who bowled at least 20 overs at the death (overs 17-20) in T20s last year, Arshdeep’s economy of 8.40 was the fifth-best in the world.
- If India win on Thursday, they will extend their unbeaten streak in bilateral T20I series to 11. The last time they lost a bilateral series was in 2021, when Sri Lanka beat them 2-1 at home.
Hemant Brar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Source: ESPN Crickinfo