Iyer's fifty hands India series-wining seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in 2nd T20I
Dharamsala, Feb 26: Shreyas Iyer hit an unbeaten half-century as India defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second T20 International to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here on Saturday.
Chasing 184, India rode on Iyer's unbeaten 74 off 44 balls to chase down the target with 17 balls to spare.
He was ably supported by Ravindra Jadeja (45 not out off 18 balls) and Sanju Samson (39 off 25) as India overwhelmed the target in 17.1 overs to pocket the series.
Earlier, Opener Pathum Nissanka smashed 75 off 53 balls as Sri Lanka posted 183 for five.
Apart from Nissanka, skipper Dasun Shanaka's whirlwind 47 off 19 balls.
For India, Jasprit Bumrah, with 1/24, had the best figures as 72 runs came off the last four overs.
India had won the first T20 International by 62 runs in Lucknow.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka: 183/5 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 75 off 53 balls, Dasun Shanaka 47 off 19 balls; Jasprit Bumrah 1/24).
India: 186/3 in 17.1 overs (Shreyas Iyer 74 not out, Ravindra Jadeja 45 not out, Sanju Samson 39; Lahiru Kumara 2/31).
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'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
