IND vs SL 2023: Dasun Shanaka praises openers for Sri Lanka's 16-run win over India in Pune

Kusal Mendis scored a brilliant fifty [Source: Associated Press]

The Asia Cup 2022 winners — Sri Lanka played like champions in the second T20I against India in Pune last evening, in their 16-run win. Asked to bat first, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis provided the visitors with a brisk start, taking advantage of poor indisciplined bowling by the Indians, to add 80 runs in 9 overs. 

Mendis slammed a 31-ball 52 in the process. Skipper Dasun Shanaka's 22-ball blitz propelled the Lankan Lions to 206, a target that the hosts found difficult to attain despite heroics from Surya Kumar Yadav, Axar Patel, and Shivam Mavi after being reduced to 57 for 5.

Shanaka, who scored the fastest T20I fifty for Sri Lanka, speaking during the post-match presentation, talked about how the top order set up the game for his side, and also praised his Indian batters' reply with the bat. 

"I think so (a captain's performance?). We could've done well in the middle part. Game was set by the openers. Need to play well in the middle order to allow finishers to finish well. It's not the dew factor, it's the skill of Indian batters. They took the game away from us but still we managed to hold the nerve. Really good to defend the total especially against India in these conditions," 

The series decider will take place on Saturday at Rajkot, with scored level at 1-1. 

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