The Indian team could not go across the line as they lost the 2nd T20I match by 16 runs played at MCA Stadium, Pune on 5 January 2023. Indian captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and decided to field first. Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka provided a brilliant start for the visitors putting on 80 runs for the opening wicket before the hosts’ bowlers made a strong comeback with wickets at regular intervals.
Axar Patel was brilliant with his bowling with 2 for 24 while Umran Malik took 3 for 48. Dasun Shanaka played a blinder of an inning and helped Sri Lanka post 206 for 6.
In reply, the Indian team got off to the worst possible start as they lost wickets of Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, debutant Rahul Tripathi, Hardik Pandya, and Deepak Hooda cheaply to leave hosts in deep trouble at 57 for 5. Axar Patel showed his intent right from the word go putting pressure on the Lankan bowlers.
He is dealing in SIXES @akshar2026 – 3 in a row! đź’Ş đź’Ş
This is turning out to be a fine knock 🙌 🙌
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/Fs33WcZ9ag #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/1zthloVmfA
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 5, 2023
He looked in sensational touch hitting 3 sixes in a row off Hasranaga. It was a sensational inning by Patel completing fifty off just 20 balls to keep India’s hopes alive. Shivam Mavi provided an excellent display of hitting blasting the Lankan bowlers away. Axar Patel was eventually dismissed for 65 off 31 balls with 3 fours and 6 sixes as India scored 190 for 8 in 20 overs.
Here we look at the Records created by Axar Patel in the 2nd T20I match against Lanka:
- He became the fourth Indian batter to complete the quickest half-century in the T20I format. Axar reached fifty off 20 balls.
- Axar Patel holds the record for the fastest half-century by an Indian in T20I batting at number 7.
- Axar and Surya Kumar Yadav put on the highest sixth-wicket partnership in the T20I format for India putting on 91 runs.
- Axar register the fourth-best score by a batter in the T20I format at number 7 or below among Test-playing nations. The highest induvial score was by Isuru Udana of 84 not out against South Africa in 2019.
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