Dhawan's 90 takes India to 174/5

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan cracked 90 off 49 deliveries to drive India to 174 for five against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the Nidahas Trophy Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket tri-series here on Tuesday.

The left-hander struck six fours and equal number of sixes, while scoring his fifth T20I fifty as he shared a crucial 95-run third-wicket stand with Manish Pandey (37 off 35) to take the visitors to a strong total.

The pair of Dhawan and Pandey had joined hands after India were 9/2, following the dismissals of Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina.

After the hosts asked India to bat, Jeevan Mendis took a sharp running from mid-off to dismiss Rohit Sharma (0) in the fourth delivery of the first over bowled by paceman Dushmantha Chameera.

Left-hander Raina (1) exposed his stumps, allowing himself room to hit paceman Nuwan Pradeep but the Indian failed, with the ball rattling his stumps.

Then Dhawan and Pandey began India's innings construction. While Dhawan was agressive against the Sri Lankan pacers who were throwing bouncers, Pandey was resolute, trying to find singles and twos and odd boundries.

Two off Dhawan's sixes came off top-edges over keeper on the bouncers delivered by Pradeep. He was good on the off-side too, cutting and driving with aplomb.

Pandey struggled with his big shots and ine one desperate attempt which saw him drag leg-spinner Mendis to the hands of Danushka Gunathilaka at deep mid-wicket.

Dhawan, however, continued, his assault, hitting two sixes against Chameera. Leg-spinner Akila Dhananjay and off-spinner Gunathilaka also faced his ire.

He was dismissed after failing to clear Thisara Perera at long-off off Gunathilaka.

Later, Rishbah Pant struggled, scoring a run-a-ball 23 as he and Dinesh Karthik (13 not out off six) took India to 174/5.

Brief scores: India: 174/5 (Shikhar Dhawan 90, Manish Pandey 37; Dushmantha Chameera 2/33, Danushka Gunathilaka 1/16) vs Sri Lanka.

--IANS

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