India thrash SL

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took four wickets for 23 runs as India thrashed Sri Lanka by 93 runs in the opening twenty20 international in Cuttack on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old scalped four of the more dependable Sri Lankan batsmen as the visitors got bowled out for 87 in 16 overs while chasing a mammoth total of 180. All-rounder Hardik Pandya took three wickets while Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets to dismantle the Lankan batting.

Earlier, Opener Lokesh Rahul's half-century and a late blitz from Mahendra Singh Dhoni fired India to 180. Rahul smashed 61 off 48 balls to lay a solid foundation in the first of the three matches.

But it was Dhoni (39) and Manish Pandey (32) who took the attack to the opposition bowlers during their unbeaten 68-run stand for the fourth wicket.

SCORES IN BRIEF

INDIA: 180 for 3 in 20 overs (Rahul 61, Dhoni 39 not out, Pandey 32 not out; Mathews 1-19, Perera 1-37)

SRI LANKA: 87 all out in 16 overs (Tharanga 23, Perera 19; Chahal 4-23, Pandya 3-29)

Result: India won by 93 runs.