Last Updated: January 04, 2023, 20:38 IST
Hardik Pandya and his boys during 1st T20I against Sri Lanka (BCCI Photo)
Saju Samson sustained the injury while attempting for a diving catch during the first over of Sri Lanka’s chase of 163
Team India seems to have dealt with a major injury scare ahead of the second T20I against Sri Lanka on Thursday in Pune. Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has suffered a niggle in his knee and has not travelled with the team to Pune. Instead, he stayed back in Mumbai for scans.
According to a Cricbuzz report, Samson sustained the injury while attempting for a diving catch during the first over of Sri Lanka’s chase of 163. The incident happened in the first over when Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka got a leading edge off Hardik Pandy’s delivery. The ball went up in the air while Samson dived to grab the ball.
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Although he caught it, it popped out of his hands after he landed on the ground. The Kerala cricketer continued fielding but, it has been learned that later, he had a swollen knee which required medical attention.
Sanju couldn’t contribute much with the bat, scoring just 5 off 6 deliveries. Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel came together to raise a quick-fire half-century partnership as India managed to reach 162/5 in 20 overs.
Hooda hammered 41 not out off 23 deliveries, hitting one boundary and four sixes while Patel struck 31 not out off 20 balls (three fours and one six) as India recovered from a precarious 94/5 in the 15th over to post a decent total.
With a modest 162 to defend, India needed to get early wickets to put Sri Lanka under pressure and they did just that, eventually getting them all out for 160 in 20 overs.
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Shivam Mavi claimed two wickets in his first spell in his debut match, Harshal Patel bagged another two and Umran Malik took one as India sent back five Sri Lankan batters for 68 runs. Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga added 40 runs for the sixth wicket but just when they were looking like taking the match away, Mavi broke their partnership by sending back Hasaranga.
However, there was one final twist remaining in the match as Chamika Karunaratne blasted a couple of sixes to take Sri Lanka to the final over needing 13 runs. Axar Patel bowled a wide and was carted for a six by Karunaratne before Kasun Rajitha was run out off the fifth ball, going for a second run.
(With Agency Inputs)
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