Indore T20I: Clinical India beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets

Young pacer Navdeep Saini was adjudged Man of the Match for his 2/18 in 4 overs

kohli-pant-afp India captain Virat Kohli (right) speaks with teammate Rishabh Pant after winning the second T20I match of a three-match series, at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore | AFP

Team India produced a clinical display with the bat and the ball, to beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets, in the second T20I at Indore. Chasing 143 to win, India reached the target with 15 balls to spare.

India got off to a solid start, with openers Shikhar Dhawan and K.L. Rahul putting on 71 runs for the first wicket. The latter was the first to go, castled by Wanindu Hasaranga for 45. Fifteen runs later, Dhawan was adjudged LBW by DRS for 32.

Captain Virat Kohli (30*) and Shreyas Iyer (34) then put on a 51-run partnership, before the latter was dismissed going for a big shot. The skipper prevented any further hiccups, finishing off the match with a six in the 18th over.

Hasaranga was the most successful of the Lankan bowlers, taking 2/30 in his four overs.

Earlier, Kohli won the toss and chose to bowl first on a slow wicket. It was a comeback match for pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Dhawan, both of who were recovering from injuries.

The Indian bowlers produced a disciplined performance to restrict Sri Lanka to 142/9. Though Shardul Thakur was the top wicket-taker, with 3/23 in his four overs, it was young pacer Navdeep Saini who posed problems for the Sri Lankan batsmen with his pace, picking up two wickets while giving away 18 runs in his four overs.

For the visitors, Kusal Perera top scored with 34.

India now lead the series 1-0. The first T20I in Guwahati of the three-match series was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of wet patches on the pitch. The final T20I will be played at Pune on January 10.