Axar, Suryakumar heroics go in vain as Sri Lanka beat India by 16 runs to level series

Suryakumar Yav and Axar Patel struck blistering fifties in a stunning 91-run stand, albeit in a losing cause as Sri Lanka tightened screws in nick of time to beat India by 16 runs in second T20I and level three-match series 1-1 here on Thursday.

Skipper Dasun Shanaka me a rear-guard unbeaten 56 off 22 balls, while wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis hit a 31-ball 52 to power Sri Lanka to an imposing 206 for 6.

India h a nightmarish start to ir chase slumping to 57 for 5 before Axar (65 off 31) and Surya (51 off 36) raised hopes of an improbable win with a scintillating sixth-wicket stand.

task became tough once Surya departed in 16th over, but Axar and Shivam Mavi (26 off 15) shared quick 41 runs to bring down equation to 21 off last over.

But Axar's dismissal in third ball of final over was last nail in coffin for India.

Chasing total, India lost openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill in second over to Kasun Rajitha.

If that was t eugh debutant Rahul Tripathi sneaked one to Kusal Mendis off Dilshan Mhushanaka in next over before skipper Hardik Pandya departed an over later as India slumped to 34 for 4 in 4.4 overs.

Surya and Deepak Hooda tried to stabilise innings with a hard-fought 23-run partnership but with asking rate creeping up, latter departed in search of a big shot, caught by Dhananjaya de Silva off Hasarnaga de Silva as India lost half of ir side for 57. Surya and Axar tried to up ante with a sensational 91-run sixth-wicket partnership off just 40 balls to keep India afloat after a forgettable start.

Axar was particularly severe on off-spinner Maheesh ekshana, clobbering bowler for a four and six over long-on in 13th over.

It was t just ekshana, Hasaranga de Silva too h to bear brunt of Axar's aggression as left-hander smacked bowler for a hat-trick of sixes in 14th over.

Axar brought up his maiden fifty off just 20 balls with a six off Karunaratne over long-off.

Surya followed suit, registering ar fine fifty with a six off over square leg off Mhushanaka.

duo raised hopes of a famous victory but it was t to be as visitors pulled strings just in time to level series.

Earlier, it was a disastrous performance from Indian bowlers after electing to field as Lankan batters went hammer and tongs from onset. Barring Axar (2/24 from his 4 overs), all or Indian bowlers went for runs.

Even though speedster Umar Malik (3/48) picked up three wickets, he too was taken to cleaners, while last match's hero Mavi (0/53) looked like a pale show of himself.

Arshdeep Singh conceded 19 runs in second over, which included two back-to-back -balls that yielded 17 runs.

Hardik too went for 11 runs from his second over as Mendis top-edged one over deep third man.

Mavi was also taken to cleaners by Mendis in his opening over, which yielded 15 runs.

spin duo of Axar and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/30) gave respite for two overs before Pathum Nisanka (33) struck a four and n a mammoth six over deep midwicket. India's first breakthrough came in ninth over when Chahal h Mendis LBW after Hardik went for a successful review.

Sri Lanka suffered ir second blow in first delivery of next over when Malik beat Bhanuka Rajapaksa by pace to clean his stumps.

Despite losing two wickets, Sri Lanka reached a healthy score of 89 at halfway mark.

But Axar tasted success soon when he dismissed Nissanka, caught by Tripathy. He snared his second victim of day in his next over when Dhananjaya de Silva was caught by Hooda at long-on.

Charith Asalanka (37) looked in an omius mood as he dispatched Chahal over deep midwicket in consecutive deliveries.

Asalanka n pulled a Malik short delivery for ar six but three balls later pacer h last laugh as he h batter caught by Gill with a similar delivery in his next over.

Malik kcked off timbers off Wanindu Hasaranga with a pacy delivery a ball later to stand in chance of a hat-trick.

But it was t to be Malik's day as Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka muscled bowler over his he for a one-bounce four.