Mumbai: Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel came together to raise a quick-fire unbeaten half-century partnership in fine rearguard action as India managed to reach 162/5 in 20 overs against Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Tuesday.
Hooda hammered 41 not out of 23 deliveries, hitting one boundary and four sixes while Patel struck 31 not out of 20 balls (three fours and one six) as India recovered from a precarious 94/5 in the 15th over to a decent total.
Opener Ishan Kishan (37) and skipper Hardik Pandya (29) had earlier raised 31 runs for the fourth wicket to pull India away from 46/3 before Hooda and Patel scripted another rescue act.
The Sri Lankan bowlers came up with a disciplined effort with five of them claiming one wicket apiece.
Brief scores:
India: 162/5 in 20 overs (Deepak Hooda 41 not out, Axar Patel 31 not out, Ishan Kishan 37, Hardik Pandya 29; Chamika Karunaratne1-22, Maheesh Theekshana 1-29) vs India.
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