India is set to play its first T20I game against Sri Lanka under the new regime of coach Gambhir and captain Suryakumar
The Men in Blue have landed in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and are currently practicing for the first T20I game against the Lankans to be held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Cricket fans across the globe are thrilled to witness the game, given India’s new era of cricket has begun under the guidance of newly-appointed coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav in the T20I format. Not to forget, Sri Lanka vs. India in T20I has always been a high-scoring game.
Latest practice session of team India and Team Sri Lanka's ahead of first T20i.
— CricStrick (@CricStrickAP) July 26, 2024
New Suya era of T20i !!#SLvsIND pic.twitter.com/fohBdjsXrB
Therefore, ahead of the first match, it is an apt moment to recall the highest scores recorded between the two neighbouring Asian nations.
In the second match of the India vs. Sri Lanka T20I series played at the Holkar Stadium on December 22, 2017, India recorded the highest total ever between the two teams in the T20I format. The opening partnership of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul baffled the Sri Lankan bowlers as Sharma hit 118 runs off 43 balls. His innings included 12 fours and ten sixes with a strike rate of 274.42. On the other hand, KL Rahul supported the cause with 89 runs off 49 balls. Dhoni also added 28 runs, taking India’s total to 260. The Lankans could only score 172 runs, losing the game by 88 runs.
Last year, on January 7, the two nations clashed at Rajkot. Batting first, India’s top order showcased collective performance as Shubman Gill hit 46 and Rahul Tripathi added 35. Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian Mr. 360, stole the show with his 112 runs off 51 balls with a whopping strike rate of 219.60. The bowling unit also did a commendable job, which included three wickets by Arshdeep Singh as India wrapped up Sri Lanka within 137 runs. The Men in Blue won the game by 91 runs.
Suryakumar Yadav show in Rajkot 🥳
— Utsav 💙 (@utsav__45) January 7, 2023
112 runs in just 51 balls 🥵🥵#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/h9EWTG2zhl
Two decades ago, when the T20 format was a newborn concept, the Sri Lankan side provided a glimpse of the future by going past the 200-run threshold. On December 9, 2009, at Nagpur, Sri Lanka batted first, and the top order had a sluggish opening, with Tillakaratne Dilshan scoring 34 off 33 balls and Sanath Jayasuriya scoring 26 off 20. However, it was the then-skipper Kumar Sangakkara who pressed the pedal and quickly scored 78 runs off 37 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes. Not to forget, in the middle order, Chamara Kapugedera added 47 off 20 balls, whereas Angelo Mathews scored 15 off four, taking Sri Lanka’s total to 215.
Apart from Gautam Gambhir, Virendra Sehwag and Suresh Raina’s fast-paced efforts, none of the players in the batting line-up could fire their guns. In 20 overs, India managed 186 runs and lost the game by 29.
Three days after the defeat, India took revenge against the Lankans. In the second T20I match on December 12, 2009, in Mohali, Sri Lanka batted first to post a score of 206 runs. Unlike the first match, the top order in the second game went all guns blazing, with Sehwag scoring 64 runs off 36, whereas Dhoni added 46 runs off 28 balls and Yuvraj Singh hit 60 off merely 25 throws. India wrapped up the match with five balls to spare.
