COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Kusal Perera smashed 66 runs off 37 deliveries to guide Sri Lanka to a five-wicket win over India in the opening match of the Independence Cup three-nation Twenty20 tournament on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal won the toss and elected to field first and India made 174-5 in 20 overs. Sri Lanka reached their target with nine deliveries to spare, winning a Twenty20 game against India after seven straight losses.
Sri Lanka's bowlers gave their team a good start, taking two wickets for nine runs, but Shikar Dhawan and Manish Pandey held the Indian innings together by sharing 95 runs for the third wicket.
Dhawan cracked six sixes and six boundaries for a 49-ball 90. Manish Pandey made 37.
Jeevan Mendis took two wickets for Sri Lanka.