Indian captain Shikhar Dhawan has admitted that the tourists were 10-15 runs short that made the difference in the game after they lost the second T20I by 4 wickets on Wednesday (July 28).
However, Dhawan is proud of his team for the way they fought to take the game into the last over while hailing his players for showing a never-die attitude against Sri Lanka in the second T20I.
The pitch at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo looked tricky to bat and India put on to bat first on Wednesday, though, the tourists seemed to get a good start but after the wickets of Ruturaj Gaikwad (21) and Dhawan (40), their scoring rate started to decline against Sri Lanka.
With only five specialist batsmen in the playing XI, the Indian cricket team could only put up 132 runs on the board, as there was no support from the middle-order and the tailenders, thanks to Sri Lanka’s collective bowling efforts in the second T20I in Colombo.
Chasing the total, Sri Lanka had a poor start, were once at 12-1, but Minod Bhanuka (36) brought the hosts back into the game before Dhananjaya de Silva’s 40*, Wanindu Hasaranga (15) and Chamika Karunaratne’s 6-ball 12 took the Islanders over the line with 2 balls to spare against India.
With the four-wicket victory in the second T20I, Sri Lanka leveled the three-match T20I series 1-1 and the third and final T20I will be played on Thursday (July 29) in Colombo.
Dhawan said in the post-match presentation, “The surface turned and was a stopping a bit. We knew we were one batter short. We knew we had to construct our innings smartly. We were 10-15 runs short. That would have made the difference.”
He signed off by saying, “I am proud of the boys. Never say die attitude is amazing. Hats off to the boys for taking it into the last over.”
