With HardikPandya struggling, Deepak Chahar could be the bowler for Team India who can bat at number eight

For Printing Download Epaper from files section from bottom of this page

With HardikPandya struggling, Deepak Chahar could be the bowler for Team India who can bat at number eight

New Delhi, July 21: An inspired batting under pressure from Deepak Chahar helped Team India survive a scare and win the second one-day international against Sri Lanka on Tuesday (July 20) in Colombo.

Chasing a target of 276, the ShikharDhawan-led Indian side found itself in a tricky situation as their top seven batsmen failed to carry their bat through and were dismissed at critical junctures in the game which tilted the game against the unfancied Sri Lankan side.

e making a comeback in the must-win game after Manish Pandey - who was looking in sublime touch - got dismissed in the unluckiest of fashions in cricket as the shot from SuryakumarYadav, his partner on strike, brushed past bowler DasunShanaka and hit the non-striker's end. Pandey was way short of the crease when the ball disturbed the timber giving the tourists a jolt at the wrong time.

Later, SuryakumarYadav and his Mumbai Indians teammate KrunalPandya also perished at the wrong time, giving Sri Lanka a smell of a sensational win against a dominant Indian batting line-up, which is also their second-string side.

But all-rounder Deepak Chahar dashed hopes of Sri Lanka's equaliser with a matured performance and guided the tourists to a win to remember. When Chahar walked into the middle, his team was in dire straits with lone recognised batsman KrunalPandya present at the other end.

Chahar - like any other lower-order batsman - wasn't looking in control initially but took his time to settle down. By the time Krunal was present into the middle, the Chennai Super Kings' all-rounder was playing defensively putting merit to his wicket. After Krunal was outfoxed by a peach of a delivery by in-form WaninduHasaranga, Deepak had a big task at hand.