India began their three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka with a brilliant win, put to bat first, the host started off slowly as they lost the skipper early on, but returning KL stabilized the ship with 61 off 48 balls. Despite Rahul’s half-century, Sri Lanka pressed India and at one point it looked like Sri Lanka had the game under their control but Dhoni and Pandey stepped up to the occasion and guided to a defendable score of 180 runs. The duo added 68 off the last 34 balls.

Chasing 180 on a difficult track, the visitors got off to a flyer, racking up runs with ease but once again the Indian bowlers rose to the occasion and demolished the Lankan batsmen one after another. The spinner duo of Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav was simply unplayable, Chahal picked up 4 wickets while Kuldeep ended with 2. Undakat got the bowling off to a great start, flummoxing Sri Lanka with his cutters and the spin twin of Chahal and Kuldeep followed up beautifully.