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India vs Sri Lanka 2015-16: India’s defeat came as a shocker, says Wasim Akram

The visitors played with a team led by stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal with unheard of players who restricted India at 101.

The visitors played with a team led by stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal with unheard of players who restricted India at 101 © Getty Images
The visitors played with a team led by stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal with unheard of players who restricted India at 101 © AFP

After a young Sri Lanka team defeated existing World No. 1 India on their home soil, Pakistan legend Wasim Akram revealed his disappointment over the upset. India, who had recently defeated Australia 3-0 at their home in a three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series, were outclassed by an inexperienced Sri Lankan side in the series opener of the ongoing three-match T20I series at Pune on Tuesday. The visitors played with a team led by stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal with unheard-of players who restricted India at 101. Later on, the batsmen did their part to get to the target with 2 overs to spare. The defeat left the ‘Sultan of Swing’ in awe and he termed it as a ‘shock’. India vs Sri Lanka 2015-16, 2nd T20I at Ranchi, Preview: Team India look to stage a strong comeback

The pacer wrote in his blog in The Times of India: “I am shocked like all of India is after the hosts lost the first T20I against Sri Lanka. Yes, it was a green pitch, but to play in the manner that they did against an inexperienced bowling line-up was unexpected. India are coming off a tour of Australia where they played on flat pitches. But when they came up on a seaming track, their techniques were tested. It was a big wake up call for India.On a pitch like the one at Pune, 130 would have been a better score against an inexperienced batting line-up like Sri Lanka’s.” READ: India vs Sri Lanka 2015-16: Kumara Sangakkara highly impressed by Dushmantha Chameera, Dasun Shanaka

Akram stated that more ‘sensible’ batting was expected from the host batsmen as the Indian top-order failed miserably on the green-top at Pune. “Only Raina with 20 and Ashwin with an unbeaten 31 stood out in a below par performance. To understand the scale of the defeat, one must remember that India are the favourites for World T20. The batsmen should have been a lot more sensible. In World T20, you will get flat pitches, but India should understand that on green pitches, the top-order should let the dressing room know about the conditions. Targets need to be recalibrated. Instead of 160, they should have looked to score 140.The last five or six overs could have been maximized with five to six wickets in hand. You cannot just come in and swing the bat,” Akram mentioned.

India will look forward to win the next T20I at Ranchi to stay alive in the series while Sri Lanka will definitely go all guns blazing to seal the series straight away.

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