Second T20I: Virat Kohli and Co outstanding at Indore

Disciplined bowling and quickfire 45 by KL Rahul hand India easy seven-wicket win over SL

Indore: All-round India ticked all the boxes on Jasprit Bumrah and Shikhar Dhawan's return to international cricket and swept Sri Lanka aside by seven wickets to take 1-0 lead in the second T20 international at the Holkar Stadium here on Tuesday.

The first match in Guwahati was called off without a ball being bowled due to rain and damp pitch. Virat Kohli and his boys will now look to seal the series in the final match of the series in Pune on Friday. Chasing a reasonable 143 for victory, Kohli (30 not out) smashed a six in the 18th over to seal the deal for the rampaging hosts with 15 balls to spare.

Iyer, Dhawan impressive
KL Rahul scored 45, Shreyas Iyer got 34 and the returning Shikhar Dhawan made 32 as India never really looked in any sort of trouble after their bowlers fired in unison to keep the Lankans in check. The two openers, vying for the second opener's slot along with Rohit Sharma for the T20 World Cup later this year, got India off to a solid start. Rahul looked good, hitting six fours before his ambition got the better of him as leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga cleaned him up with a delivery wide of the crease in the 10th over.

KL Rahul en route his 45 yesterday

Earlier, the bowlers put up a good show with Navdeep Saini shining bright as India restricted Sri Lanka to 142-9. All eyes were on the returning Bumrah. Bumrah, who has been out of action after India's tour of the West Indies in July-August last year due to a stress fracture on his back, started off with a wide in the first ball of the match and was hit for a four in the second as he finished conceding seven runs. Danushka Gunathilaka and Avishka Fernando hit boundaries off him in the fourth over as India's premier pacer looked a bit rusty starting off, but in the end bowled a superbly disguised slower to castle Dasun Shanaka in the 17th over.

Bumrah not at his best
Bumrah was taken for 12 in the final over by Wanindu Hasaranga (16 not out) who hit a hat-trick of fours to end the innings with a flourish as the fast bowler returned figures of 1-31 in his four overs. Shardul Thakur (3-23) was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts but it was Saini (2-18) who impressed the most while Kuldeep Yadav (2-38) also picked up two wickets. For the Lankans, Kusal Perera top-scored with a 28-ball 34 (6x3).

Brief scores
Sri Lanka 142-9 in 20 overs (K Perera 34, A Fernando 22; S Thakur 3-23, N Saini 2-18, K Yadav 2-38) lost to India 144-3 in 17.3 overs (KL Rahul 45, S Iyer 34, S Dhawan 32, V Kohli 30*; W de Silva 2-30) by seven wickets

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