India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I at Pune, IND v SL, Jan 05 2023 - Ball by Ball Commentary

On that note, we bounce. On behalf of Ashish Pant and Thilak Rama, I say goodbye. So long.

11pm We are back for the post-match presentation.

Hardik Pandya, the losing captain, says, and I paraphrase: "In bowling and batting, the powerplay hurt us. We made some basic errors, which we shouldn't be making at this level. Everyone knows what it is, The learning for us is we should be focussing on what we can control. You can have a good day, you can have a bad day, but you shouldn't be moving away from the basics. For Arshdeep, in this situation, it is very difficult. It is not about blaming him or to be too hard on him, but we know no-balls in any format is a crime. Rahul is accustomed to playing at no. 3, and someone coming in, we want to give them a role they are comfortable with. That's why he batted at No. 3."

Dasun Shanaka, the winning captain and the Player of the Match, says, and I paraphrase: "To be honest, we would have done better in the middle part because the openers set us up well. Surya and Axar were outstanding, but still we managed to hold our nerve. It's good to defend a total like this especially against India in Indian conditions."

10.42pm This is the thing about getting close. Now those seven no-balls stare you right in your face. India were gone for all money at 57 for 5, but Axar, Surya and Mavi brought them close. Not close enough.Sri Lanka will sigh in relief because once the dew came in, it just became a video game even though India were five down. Madushanka then brought them back in with Surya's wicket, and Shanka closed it out with a decent last over.

The story of the day remains the no-balls. Arshdeep, on his comeback, bowled three in a row in his first over. Then bowled two more. One of them could have been a wicket. There were two more. It is one of those freakish things that caught on like a flu.Shanka scored 56 off 22, then took two wickets in the final over. Will surely be the Player of the Match. Or will it be Axar: 2 for 24 and 65 off 31?

Umran Malik comes in. Three sixes needed

Over the wicket he stays

Unlike Pandya last match, Shanaka is not risking bowling spin in the last over. He is going to bowl it himself after having plundered the last over when he batted. Mavi, who bowled that last over, is on strike

Rajitha has frankly got away with quite a few mistakes in length this over. India now need 21

Axar can't give the strike to Mavi at the start of the next over. Unless he hits a six off this ball

Back to over three a ball

Now just 33 off 12. One over of spin or Shanaka to come. Sri Lanka go to Rajitha. Axar waves off the message from the dugout

It's well over three runs a ball now

Venkatesh: "Hope Hardik did not speak in Hindi when he was asking Washy to convey the message to Axar."

Sri Lanka were 147 for 6 at this point. India have the dew too, but not the batting depth. Nor are Sri Lanka bowling no-balls. Madushanka to bowl out. Interesting