(AP Photo)
After guiding his team to a convincing seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, with the DLS method coming into play due to rain, Suryakumar Yadav, the captain of the Indian men’s cricket team, expressed his satisfaction with their performance.
The win in the rain-affected second T20I not only secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series but also reflected the team’s commitment to an aggressive style of play. Yadav highlighted that they had discussed their cricketing ethos before the series began, emphasizing an attacking approach, which they successfully maintained even in the truncated match.
“We spoke about this before the start of the tournament – what brand of cricket we want to play. This is the template we want to go ahead with,” Suryakumar Yadav said at the post-match presentation after the win.
In light of the reduced match duration, Suryakumar remarked that aiming for a score of approximately 160 would have posed a significant challenge given the prevailing weather conditions. He acknowledged that the rain factor played into their favor, ultimately contributing to their strategy and performance on the field.
“With the weather around, anything below 160 would have been nice. Rain helped us,” he said.
The captain of the Indian cricket team commended his side’s batting performance and expressed his satisfaction with their display of resilience in challenging circumstances. He highlighted that the team showed considerable character throughout the match.
“The way the boys batted was wonderful. We’ll sit and decide (when asked if they’ll test their bench strength). Very happy for the boys. Showed a lot of character in tough situations,” he said.
In a rain-affected encounter, India efficiently chased down a revised target of 78 runs in just 6.3 overs, utilizing the DLS method. Captain SKY contributed 26 runs off 12 balls with 4 boundaries and a six, while Yashasvi Jaiswal played a brisk innings of 30 runs from 15 deliveries, including 3 fours and 2 sixes.
Earlier in the match, Kusal Perera’s aggressive fifty set the tone for Sri Lanka, supported by Pathum Nissanka’s quickfire 32. However, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi turned the tide with a superb bowling performance, claiming three crucial wickets for 26 runs. His timely strikes, including two in successive deliveries, curtailed Sri Lanka’s momentum as they posted a below-par total of 161 for nine before rain intervened with India at 6 for no loss after 0.3 overs in their chase.
