Sri Lanka vs India, 1st Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: India and Bangladesh in Sri Lanka T20I Tri-Series, 2018 Venue: R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Date & Time: Mar 06, 07:00 PM LOCAL

Sri Lanka off to a winning start © AFP

GAME! Sri Lanka win by five wickets!

What a start to the freedom series for Sri Lanka! The two Pereras stand at the helm of a superb five-wicket victory against overwhelming favourites India. Kusal Perera played one of his specials where he gets likened to Sanath Jayasuriya, before Thisara Perera sealed the game with a 10-ball 22!

The win is all the more special because Sri Lanka pulled off the highest successful run chase in Colombo, and also Sri Lanka's highest successful chase against India.

Thisara Perera swings the game in SL's favour!

Excellent batting from the all-rounder. He and Shanaka collect 16 off Jaydev Unadkat in the 18th over! The equation has gone down to a very gettable eight off 12 balls. What a start for the hosts!

Can Sri Lanka pull off a win here?

The equation is now down to 24 off the last 18 balls. But they haven't got a boundary since the 12th over. Runs haven't come easy, but they are still in it.

WICKET - Kusal Perera perishes

Oh is this the turning point? The ball from where India topple the game on its head? Possible! Kusal Perera has been sent packing after a sensational 37-ball 66! He danced down the track to Washington Sundar and missed with his big heave, giving Dinesh Karthik a familiar drill behind the stumps.

WICKET - Chandimal cleaned up

Yuzvendra Chahal gets a big wicket. He's cleaned up Sri Lanka captain with a full ball that drifted in and skid through after pitching.

Kusal Perera leads the way

The left-hander has smashed a 22-ball half-century and is leading Sri Lanka's chase here. What a hand he's playing here. His knock has included five fours and three sixes - meaning 38 runs have come in boundaries.

Playing XI for first T20I at Colombo

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Prelude - India begin as favourites

That's like saying water is wet, isn't it? India aren't putting out their strongest sides, and yet the overwhelming amount of talent and skill in that line-up is unmissable. After a wretched 2017, Sri Lanka have made a positive start to 2018, winning a tri-series involving Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in Bangladesh and have also triumphed in Tests and T20Is in Bangladesh. That by no means guarantees them a shot at beating India - their strongest opponent yet this year - straightaway, but surely they can walk into the R Premadasa stadium with their chins up and a head full of hope and optimism.

Emergency situation in Sri Lanka

Just on the day of tri-series opener, news of an emergency being declared in the host nation began to surface. However, it has been assured and reassured that the host city - Colombo - will be unaffected. Here's Shirshendu's report on it.