Rookie pacers Kasun and Dasun shot out India for 101

Sri Lanka's rookie pacers Kasun Rajitha and Dasun Chanaka made full use of a green top bowling out a fancied Indian batting line-up for a paltry 101 in the first T20 international cricket match, here today.
22-year-old debutant Rajitha (3/29) rocked India on the back foot with a triple strike in his sensational opening spell before another youngster Shanaka (3/16), who had played just one T20I before today, grabbed three wickets and Dushmantha Chameera, who has played four Tests, left the hosts in tatters at 58 for 7.
Only a late rearguard action by Ravichandran Ashwin, who top-scored with an unbeaten 31 off 24 balls, inclusive of 5 fours by playing authentic cricket shots on a track that sported some grass, saved the team from being bowled out for their lowest ever total.

But still the hosts failed to last the 20-over quota as Ashwin, Suresh Raina (20 in 20 balls) and Yuvraj Singh (10) were the only batsmen to reach double figures.
For Lanka, Rajitha and Shanaka were ably complemented by another speedster Dushmantha Chameera (2 for 14).
Debutant Rajitha had a dream start to his international career when he rocked the home team with a double strike in the very first over of the series and nearly got another in his next.

Rajitha sent back in-form opener Rohit Sharma for a duck off the second ball of his opening over, which was also the first over of the game and the series, and Ajinkya Rahane for four off the last ball.

Both the Mumbai batsmen were beaten by the extra pace and a bit of movement generated from the track by the 22-year Rajitha, who has played just ten first class domestic games so far. Both batsmen were also victims of brilliant, diving catches.
Sharma, who had such a glorious run in Australia in the recently concluded ODI and T20 International series, drove on the up the second ball he faced and spooned up the ball which was caught superbly at mid off by a diving Chameera.
Rahane glided the bowler to the third man fence off the fifth ball but off the last ball tried to turn to leg and the leading edge was caught by a diving rival skipper Dinesh Chandimal at short covers to make the home team a shocking 5 for 2 after 1 over.

Raina, who hit a six and a four, too should have departed for a duck when the debutant had him edge a step-out drive but Danushka Gunatilake at third man dropped a sitter.
Watching the sensational beginning at the non-striker's end was Shikhar Dhawan who smacked the other Lanka new ball bowler, Tisera Perera, over mid-wicket for a six to send a message across that the hosts will not be deterred by the loss of two early wickets.