NEW DELHI: young conductor Shivam Mavi made memorable debut after Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel led a remarkable recovery with their unbeaten 68-point standing as India survived anxious moments to clinch a stinging two-point victory over Sri Lanka in the first T20I on Tuesday.
With this win, India lead the three-game series 1-0. Right arm pacer Mavi returned figures of 4/22 which are the third best figures for India on their T20I debut after Barinder Sran (4/10) and Pragyan Ojha (4/21).
Mavi’s success lies in her skipper’s conviction after the 24-year-old pacer was given a free hand from Hardik Pandya don’t think about getting hit.
“I saw him (Mavi) bowling well in the IPL and I just told him to just play it. I said, ‘I support you. Even if you get hit, it’s fine,” Pandya said during the post-match presentation.
Pandya also clarified the cramps he suffered during the game, saying, “Now I got used to it. It was just cramps, I’m fine. It was a tough night, I didn’t I wasn’t well and I had my fluids. If I smile, I’m fine.”
Pandya also backed his decision to hand the final to Axar Patel as India had to defend all 13 points. “We could lose a game here and there, but that’s okay. It was the youngsters who put us back in the game.”
Pandya revealed the reason for his superb bowling as he produced a splendid three overs in which he had just conceded 12 runs.
“I’ve been playing in net with the new ball since I came back in the IPL. I learned how to swing it back.”
Earlier, the Indian batters found the Sri Lankan spinners hard to put away before Deepak Hooda (41 of 23 steps) and Axar Patel (31 of 20 steps) took the hosts to 162 for five.
The Sri Lankans surely had the firepower to chase down 163 but Mavi’s strikes to the front and back of the innings tipped the game in favor of the home side. The game went to the wire with spinner Axar Patel managing to defend 13 points in the final.
With this win, India lead the three-game series 1-0. Right arm pacer Mavi returned figures of 4/22 which are the third best figures for India on their T20I debut after Barinder Sran (4/10) and Pragyan Ojha (4/21).
Mavi’s success lies in her skipper’s conviction after the 24-year-old pacer was given a free hand from Hardik Pandya don’t think about getting hit.
“I saw him (Mavi) bowling well in the IPL and I just told him to just play it. I said, ‘I support you. Even if you get hit, it’s fine,” Pandya said during the post-match presentation.
Pandya also clarified the cramps he suffered during the game, saying, “Now I got used to it. It was just cramps, I’m fine. It was a tough night, I didn’t I wasn’t well and I had my fluids. If I smile, I’m fine.”
Pandya also backed his decision to hand the final to Axar Patel as India had to defend all 13 points. “We could lose a game here and there, but that’s okay. It was the youngsters who put us back in the game.”
Pandya revealed the reason for his superb bowling as he produced a splendid three overs in which he had just conceded 12 runs.
“I’ve been playing in net with the new ball since I came back in the IPL. I learned how to swing it back.”
Earlier, the Indian batters found the Sri Lankan spinners hard to put away before Deepak Hooda (41 of 23 steps) and Axar Patel (31 of 20 steps) took the hosts to 162 for five.
The Sri Lankans surely had the firepower to chase down 163 but Mavi’s strikes to the front and back of the innings tipped the game in favor of the home side. The game went to the wire with spinner Axar Patel managing to defend 13 points in the final.
