1st T20I: Shivam Mavi claims four-fer on debut as India beat Sri Lanka by two runs in last-ball thriller

Mumbai, January 3, 2022

Young medium-pacer Shivam Mavi claimed 4-22 on debut as India defended a modest total of 162 to beat Sri Lanka by two runs in the thrilling first T20I and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Tuesday.

India started 2023 with victory thanks to some good bowling by Mavi, Harshal Patel and Umran Malik as they prevailed over Sri Lanka in a last-ball thriller.

With a modest 162 to defend, India needed to get early wickets to put Sri Lanka under pressure and they did just that, eventually getting them all out for 160 in 20 overs.

Mavi claimed two wickets in his first spell in his debut match, Harshal Patel bagged another two and Umran Malik took one as India sent back five Sri Lankan batters for 68 runs.

Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga added 40 runs for the sixth wicket but just when they were looking like taking the match away, Mavi broke their partnership by sending back Hasaranga.

Hardik Pandya claimed a fine catch, coming back to the field after going out for treatment, having been struck by a bout of cramps while taking a catch to send back Bhanuka Rajapaksa, as Sri Lanka slumped to 108/6 in the 15th over.

But Shanaka was still the dangerman and he struck some lusty blows to take Sri Lanka to 34 needed off 20 balls, hitting Harshal Patel for a six and four in the 16th over. He meted out the same treatment to Umran Mailk in the next over but the young pacer had the last laugh when he had the Sri Lanka captain caught in the deep by Chahal in the same over to sink the last nail in the Sri Lankan coffin.

However, there was one final twist remaining in the match as Chamika Karunaratne blasted a couple of sixes to take Sri Lanka to the final over needing 13 runs.

Axar Patel bowled a wide and was carted for a six by Karunaratne before Kasun Rajitha was run out off the fifth ball, going for a second run.

Sri Lanka needed four runs off the final delivery but Karunaratne could not hit him out and Dilshan Madushanka was run out, attempting a second run as India won by three runs.

Mavi had made it possible for India as he completed his four-fer when he sent back Maheesh Theekshana for one, caught by Suryakumar Yadav at long-off with a length ball outside off.

Mavi provided India with the breakthrough by claiming his first T20I wicket on debut. The young bowler showed great character as he struck after being hit for back-to-back boundaries by Kusal Mendis in his first over. Mavi came back strongly in his second over and sent back Nissanka, sending one through the gap to rattle the stumps.

Dhananjaya de Silva was his second victim when he got the batter to spoon a catch to Sanju Samson with a slower one.

Earlier, Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel came together to raise a quick-fire half-century partnership in fine rearguard action as India managed to reach 162/5 in their 20 overs after being put in to bat by Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka, who won the toss.

Hooda hammered 41 not out off 23 deliveries, hitting one boundary and four sixes while Patel struck 31 not out off 20 balls (three fours and one six) as India recovered from a precarious 94/5 in the 15th over to post a decent total.

The Sri Lankan bowlers justified their captain's decision to field first as they struck at regular intervals, making full use of the pitch that played a bit slow but was still good for batting.

India looked in deep trouble with half the side inside the dugout with only 94 runs on the board but Hooda and Patel came together and raised 68 runs for the unfinished 6th wicket partnership to help India to a decent score.

Their sensible batting took India to a decent total and they can defend it if the bowlers manage to strike some early blows and put the Sri Lankans in early trouble.

The match started in whirlwind fashion as Ishan Kishan blasted 17 runs off the first over bowled by Kasun Rajitha, hitting the right-arm medium pacer for a six and two fours as the bowler struggled for direction, even bowling a wide delivery.

But playing on a wicket that was not true, the Indians were soon in trouble as Shubman Gill, who made his debut with Shivam Mavi, did not survive for long. Gill, the India red-ball opener, who was given a chance in the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma, started with a four off Dilshan Madushanka but fell for seven runs, foxed by off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana as India slumped to 27/1 in the third over, Gill failing to overturn a decision on review.

Shanaka threw the ball to Theekshana after Rajitha was hammered in the first over and the spinner struck off his third delivery as he out-thought Gill, who picked up the carrom ball but was beaten by pace and trapped in front of the wicket. The opener reviewed the decision as the ball seemed to have hit him high on the pads but the third umpire went with the field umpire as the tracker showed the ball would have hit the stumps.

Suryakumar Yadav -- who was sensational in 2022, getting high praise for his 360-degree batting, failed to fire as he too got out early, caught by Bhanuka Rajapaksa off Chamika Karunaratne for 7, unable to execute his shot due to lack of pace.

Sanju Samson (5) did not last long, going for a six off Dhananjaya de Silva but hitting with the toe-end of his bat and was caught by Madushanka as India slumped to 46/3 in the seventh over.

Ishan Kishan (37, 29 b, 3x4, 2x6) and skipper Hardik Pandya (29, 27b, 4x4) added 31 runs for the fourth wicket but once both of them departed in quick succession, India were down to 94/6 in 15th over and looking down the barrel. Hooda and Patel then came together to give them a fighting total.

Brief scores: India - 162/5 in 20 overs (Deepak Hooda 41 not out, Axar Patel 31 not out, Ishan Kishan 37, Hardik Pandya 29; Chamika Karunaratne1-22, Maheesh Theekshana 1-29) defeated Sri Lanka 160 all out in 20 overs (Dasun Shanaka 45, Chamika Karunaratne 23 not out; Shivam Mavi 4-22, Harshal Patel 2-41, Umran Malik 2-27) by two runs

IANS