India’s strong start to the T20I series against Sri Lanka on Saturday served as an early indication of a smooth transition in their cricketing arsenal. Not long ago, India bid an emotional farewell to two cricketing giants and openers – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – in this format. Yet, almost instantly, a new duo has emerged, poised to fill their substantial boots.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill lit up the opening powerplay with a flurry of boundaries, smacking 11 fours and three sixes between them. Their aggressive start laid a strong foundation for what followed, quelling concerns about the lack of experience at the top. While seasoned cricketers like Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav are well aware of the adage that one stellar performance doesn’t make a summer, India now seems to possess a fresh pair of openers, aged merely 24 and 22, with significant T20 experience to usher the team into a new era.

On the other side, Sri Lanka might not be entirely despondent about Saturday’s events. Charith Asalanka’s team delivered a spirited performance in the batting PowerPlay, matching India’s momentum and letting them know that a score of 213/7 was within reach. Although Asalanka may lament the lack of batting vigor in the middle order after such a promising start, and the initial inefficacy of their bowlers, there are still reasons for optimism. A few small adjustments and fine-tuning could steer them towards leveling the series.

**When:** Sri Lanka vs India, 2nd T20I, July 28, 07:00 PM Local time (7 PM IST)
**Where:** Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
**What to Expect:** Thunderstorms are anticipated in the afternoon but should clear before the match begins. A high-scoring contest is on the cards.

**Teams Watch:**

**Sri Lanka**
**Injury/Availability:** Sri Lanka boasts a complete squad from the first game, and the same XI will likely feature again.
**Tactics & Match-ups:** Captain Charith Asalanka might rely more on his versatile spinner, Kamindu Mendis. The left-arm variation of Mendis may prove crucial against Shubman Gill, who has struggled against left-arm orthodox spin in T20Is, being dismissed four times by them. Furthermore, India’s finisher Hardik Pandya has been notably contained by this form of bowling, scoring just 76 runs in 84 balls with one dismissal. Kamindu could be a sharp tool for Sri Lanka.

**Probable XI:** Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.

**India**
**Injury/Availability:** India too remains injury-free from the first T20I, and a change in their lineup is improbable.
**Tactics & Match-ups:** Look out for another early contest between Pathum Nissanka and Axar Patel.

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. Patel, the left-arm spinner, has dismissed Nissanka twice in 23 T20I deliveries, including in the series opener, although Nissanka challenged him during the PowerPlay on his way to a significant score.

Additionally, there’s an ongoing head-to-head to watch between Mohammed Siraj and Kusal Mendis. Ahead of the series, Siraj had dismissed Mendis four times in just 29 balls. While Mendis faced only three deliveries from Siraj in the first T20I without being dismissed, Siraj will be eager for another encounter on Sunday.

**Probable XI:** Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj.

**Did you know:**
– Dasun Shanaka has taken the most T20I wickets against India within the current Sri Lankan squad, amassing 14 wickets in 22 matches. Interestingly, he did not bowl on Saturday.
– Suryakumar Yadav’s performance against Sri Lanka has consistently been impressive. Counting his explosive 58 off 26 balls in the first game, he now has three scores above 50 and a century in just six innings against Sri Lanka, with a strike rate well over 150.

**What they said:**

“We were not up to the mark in the powerplay, but in the latter part, we came back pretty strong. Some stage, we thought they might get to 240, but we did well. Little disappointed with the way the middle-order batted, we could have done better.” – Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka.

“What happens is when you continuously play cricket for India, you have some surety and when you do well in some pressure situations, you get some confidence. And each time you get confidence, you always learn from it. It’s not that you’ll always do well in pressure situations and you might fail as well. But, those situations teach you that I could have done things differently and that has taught me a lot in the last one year especially.” – Axar Patel.

As the teams prepare for their next encounter, India aims for a swift series win while Sri Lanka looks to bounce back and level the series. With expectations high and conditions set for an exciting contest, fans are eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this thrilling T20I series.

By IPL Agent

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