Ind vs SL: Was just looking to watch ball closely and playing my shots, says Shreyas Iyer
Feb 25, 2022
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 25 : Batter Shreyas Iyer expressed happiness after his knock helped Team India defeat Sri Lanka in the first T20I here at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Thursday.
Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer hit fifties before a combined bowling performance helped India thrash Sri Lanka by 62 runs in the first T20I.
"Once I got going, I wanted to play my shots and keep the intent going, just wanted to play my shots. He (Ishan Kishan) wasn't able to time (in the middle overs), was losing patience. I just told him to take his time, look for twos and threes. Our plan was to hit the pockets, initially, that's what we did, and things came out pretty well for us. Coming from Kolkata, this ground had different dimensions," said Shreyas Iyer in a post-match presentation.
"I wasn't thinking a lot, thought 180 was a good total, was just looking to watch the ball closely and then played my shots. I had already put my hand up (for a bowl). Around the 16th over when he (Rohit) went it he had already told Bumrah these are the bowlers who need to bowl. I tried to bribe Bumrah but it didn't work for me (laughs)," he added.
With this 62-run win over Sri Lanka, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. Both teams will now lock horns in the second T20I on Saturday.
Chasing 200, Sri Lanka got off to the worst possible start as the side two wickets inside three overs. Bhuvneshwar removed both openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara as Sri Lanka struggled in the chase.
Sri Lanka reach the 50-run mark in the tenth over but lost two more wickets. Charith Asalanka did hit a fifty for the visitors but the asking rate was too much to ask for as Sri Lanka lost momentum.
Sri Lanka needed 102 runs in the last four overs and the visitors were completely outplayed in the first T20I as they lost the match by a considerable margin.
