India beats Sri Lanka by 7 wickets in rain-reduced game to clinch T20 series

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Wrist spinner Ravi Bishnoi claimed 3-26 as India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets with nine balls of the rain-reduced second T20 game remaining to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Bishnoi got support Sunday from left-arm spinner Axar Patel (2-30), while pacers Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh shared four wickets, as Sri Lanka was restricted to 161-9 in 20 overs after having to bat first.

Rain impacted the game twice – first, when the start was delayed by 45 minutes without any overs lost. Later, it stopped the game for another 70 minutes as India began its chase.

On resumption, the match was shortened to eight overs with a target of 78 runs under the DLS method. India had scored 6-0 initially, leaving the equation of 72 off 45 balls.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 30 off 15 balls, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav hit a 12-ball 26.

Hardik Pandya smacked 22 not out off nine balls, as India powered to 81-3 in 6.3 overs.

India won the first T20 by 43 runs. The third and final T20 will be played on Tuesday, also in Pallekele. The two teams will also play three one-day internationals.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket