IND vs SL: Fans rejoice seeing Sanju Samson in the squad; Shubman Gill misses out
The enthusiasm stemmed from the fact that while Sanju Samson has been part of the squad for a while, he hasn’t had many opportunities to play.
Sanju Samson with Sri Lankan fans
After winning the first match of the three-game T20I series, Team India won the toss against Sri Lanka in the second match and chose to field first at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. During the toss, skipper Suryakumar Yadav discussed the weather and the game’s delay due to a wet outfield. However, what captured everyone's attention was the announcement that opener and vice-captain Shubman Gill would miss the game due to a neck spasm.
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"Gill misses out as he woke up with a neck spasm; (Sanju) Samson comes in," was the announcement. The news of the replacement excited fans, who took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to celebrate Samson’s inclusion in the playing XI. The enthusiasm stemmed from the fact that while Samson has been part of the squad for a while, he hasn’t had many opportunities to play.
As of writing this article, after 6 overs, at the end of Powerplay, Sri Lanka has posted 54 runs on the board and lost one wicket. Kusal Mendis was dismissed by Arshdeep Singh for 10 off 11 balls in the 3.3 over. Currently, Kusal Perera (18 off 9) and Pathum Nissanka (24 off 16) are at the crease, aiming to steady the ship.
The Sri Lankan men will also be looking to draw inspiration from their women’s team, who had recently defeated India Women in the final of the Women's T20 Asia Cup 2024 at home. The first T20I saw the Gambhir-Suryakumar era begin with a comprehensive victory, as India won the match by 43 runs and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Teams:
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka(c), Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando
India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj.
Updated: July 28, 2024 08:19 PM IST
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