The first T20 International between India and Sri Lanka ended up with the visitors outclassing the Lankan side by 38 runs. Sri Lanka’s bowling unit were decent in their approach as they managed to stop the opposition’s decorated line-up at 164. However, the hosts were let down by their batting unit.
The Sri Lanka batters failed to show any temperament or resilience as they gifted an east victory to the visitors. The batting performance delivered by the hosts invited a lot of criticism and bashing from the cricket fraternity. The latest to join the bandwagon is former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja.
In a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Raja questioned the approach and intent of the Sri Lankan side. Raja believes that there was no strategy or planning from the Lankan team as no batsman took the responsibility of helping the team chase 165.
“When India scored 160-odd, they would have thought of winning this because you can expect Sri Lanka to commit mistakes frequently. To chase a target like this, you needed one or two partnerships. At least one batsman should have scored 70-odd runs and you could have crossed the line. If you can’t chase 160 at home, where will you? And losing a game shatters the confidence of the team,” Ramiz said.
In the second innings of the match, Sri Lanka collapsed at 126 owing to a disciplined bowling effort by the Men in Blue. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the man on a mission for India as he picked four wickets while giving 22 runs. Deepak Chahar also flaunted his brilliant bowling skills by scalping two wickets at an economy rate of 8.
Further, Raja admitted that the T20I series could be a tough one for the hosts and they need to make some tough calls to revive themselves. The Pakistan veteran advised the island nation to be consistent and not succumb to pressure against the dominating Indian side.
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