In the first match of the ongoing three-match T20I series between India and Sri Lanka, the game is being played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and chose to bowl first. However, the decision did not pay off as the Sri Lankan bowlers struggled to provide an early breakthrough. Indian openers Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal gave their team a strong start, putting together a fifty-plus partnership for the first wicket. It was only a spectacular catch by Asitha Fernando that ended their stand.

In addition to the Indian openers’ aggressive performance and Fernando’s remarkable catch, Kamindu Mendis’ bowling has garnered significant attention. Mendis, who made his international debut in 2018, is playing his first-ever game against India and showcased his unique ambidextrous skills.

He was introduced in the tenth over, beginning his spell with left-arm deliveries to Suryakumar Yadav. Yadav greeted Mendis with a boundary on the first ball and then took a single on the next, allowing Rishabh Pant to face the next deliveries. Upon Pant’s arrival, Mendis switched to right-arm off-spin. Despite not taking a wicket or conceding a boundary in his initial over, Mendis’ ability to bowl with both hands made a notable impact.

India in driver’s seat:

Talking about the game, India are on the front foot in the ongoing game. At the time of writing this report, they were on 159 for 3 after 15 overs. Gill and Jaiswal gave the team a solid start by adding 74 runs for the first wicket. The partnership came to an end on the last ball of the powerplay when Gill was dismissed for 34.

On the very next delivery, Wanindu Hasaranga struck to send back Jaiswal for 40. However, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav scored a blazing fifty to put India back in the driver’s seat again. He departed after scoring 58 runs from just 26 balls.