India vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I Highlights: Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, bowlers help Team India claim big win

Lucknow, February 24: Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer slammed imperious half-centuries before bowlers joined the party and helped Team India register a clinical 62-run win over Sri Lanka in the opening T20I on Thursday (February 24).

With this emphatic victory at Bharat Ratna Atal Vihari Bajpayee International Stadium, the Men In Blue have now won their last 10 consecutive T20Is (since November 2021) - their longest winning streak in this format. The overall T20I record is 12 consecutive wins shared by Afghanistan and Romania.

Team India posted a massive 199/2 after being put in to bat first. Despite having a sedate start, openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan forged a massive century stand and laid the foundation for a big total for the hosts.

In response, Sri Lankan batters had no response against a quality Indian bowling line-up. The visitors kept losing wickets at regular intervals and looked were no match against their opponents and scored 137 for 6 in the stipulated 20 overs.

Sri Lanka lost their in-form opener Pathum Nissanka on the very first ball of the run chase when the batsman was played-on off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling. With the asking rate at 10 per over from the start of the game, the Sri Lankan top-order collapsed like a castle of cards as Sri Lanka were five down for 60 in 11 overs.

However, Charith Asalanka and Chamika Karunaratne forged a partnership of 37 runs off 29 deliveries for the sixth wicket. But the stand was broken by Venkatesh Iyer when Karunaratne was caught behind by Ishan Kishan for 21 off 14 balls.

With the visiting side trailing behind by a huge margin, captain Rohit tested his sixth and seventh bowling options in the game. Venkatesh Iyer and debutant Deepak Hooda were asked to bowl in tandem after comeback man Ravindra Jadeja finished his quota of 4 overs with 1/28.

Asalanka was the lone bright spot with the bat for the tourists as the left-handed batsman played some big strokes and scored an unbeaten 53 off 47 deliveries.

After seeing through the first few balls, Ishan Kishan unleashed his shots and helped India post 58 without loss in the powerplay. Kishan smashed five boundaries and two sixes in the first six overs itself.

The left-handed batsman was dropped on 43 when the fielder (Liyanage) put down a regulation catch at deep-midwicket. Ishan's aggression gave some respite to captain Rohit Sharma at the other end as he could take his time in the middle to settle down.

Kishan then notched up his fifty off 30 deliveries, his second in T20Is. The batsman scored a double off Dasun Shanaka's over to slam a free-flowing fifty. At the halfway stage to their innings, Indians reached 98 for no loss and the Sri Lankans were searching for the breakthrough.

Soon after Lahiru Kumara gave the visitors the first scalp of the evening when he clean bowled Rohit Sharma for 44. The Indian captain missed the slower one from the right-arm pacer and the ball crashed into the stumps. The hosts thus lost their first wicket for 111 in the 12th over.

Kishan's knock came to an end for 89 off 56 when he was dismissed by Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka. Iyer then notched up a sensational half-century as the talented right-handed batsman scored 50 off 25 deliveries.

The right-handed batsman from Mumbai walked into the middle in the 12th over and made the occasion count with his flamboyant batting. He remained unbeaten at 57 and forged 40-plus stands with Kishan and Ravindra Jadeja.

International cricket returned in Lucknow and Team India didn't disappoint their fans at the Ekana Stadium as they won their second T20I and kept their winning streak intact at this venue.

The teams will now travel to Dharamsala to play the second and third T20I on Saturday and Sunday.