India’s opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal played some beautiful strokes as the team took on Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the 3-match series on Saturday. Jaiswal scored 21-ball 40 while opening the innings with vice-captain Shubman Gill who also looked in sublime touch. However, it was Jaiswal who also displayed his ability to hit some unorthodox shots, tailor-made for T20 cricket, probably trying to match his skipper Suryakumar Yadav. Speaking about those shots, former India pacer Ashish Nehra left Jaiswal in splits as he suggested that the left-hander would only be playing such shots in the nets if Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were still playing T20 international cricket.

“Ajay Jadeja asked you what’s the difference when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were there (to open in T20Is). According to me, there is just one difference. If Virat and Rohit were still playing this format, then whatever strokes we saw from you today, you would have played those in the nets,” Nehra said during the chat with Jaiswal, leaving the opening batter in splits.

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Bowlers marvellous on the day after batters managed to put over 200 runs on the board against Sri Lanka. A solid show with the ball saw India claim a victory over Sri Lanka by 43 runs. Chasing a mammoth total opf 214, the hosts were bundled out for 170 runs in 19.2 overs. With this victory, the Men in Blue lead the three-match series 1-0.

The highest scorer for the side was their opener Pathum Nissanka who played a good innings of 79 runs which came on 48 balls which was laced with seven fours and four sixes.

The wicketkeeper-batter, Kushal Mendis also scored crucial 45 runs from just 27 balls with the help of seven fours and a six.

No other batter than these two were able to make the mark.

For India, spinner Riyan Parag was the highest wicket-taker. He took three wickets in his spell of 1.2 overs where he conceded just five runs. Two wickets each were bagged by Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel and one wicket each was taken by Mohammed Siraj, Ravi Bishnoi in their respective spells.

With ANI Inputs