'Drama, Suspense & everything' - Fans thrilled as Indian team win the nail-biting thriller in first T20I against Sri Lanka

India and Sri Lanka locked horns in the first of the three-match T20I series at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka decided to bat first after getting an upper hand at the time of the toss. Batting first, the men in blue managed to post a decent total of 162 runs in the allotted 20 overs.

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While chasing the target, the Islanders could manage to score 160 runs in 20 overs and failed to cross the finishing line and lost the match by 2 runs in the opening fixture of the three-match T20I series.

The cricket fans were also thrilled after this nail-biting encounter between the men in blue and the Sri Lankans. They took to Twitter to come up with various reactions in the aftermath of the Indian team's win in the first match of the calendar year of 2023.

Here’s how fans reacted:

What is happening in the FINAL Over. Drama, Suspense & everything.#INDvsSL

— Farrago Abdullah Parody (@abdullah_0mar) January 3, 2023

My parents warned me about Drugs & Alcohol, instead they should have warned me about this game😭 #INDvsSL

— Ana de Armas stan (@abhithecomic) January 3, 2023

Axar saving the match and also his captain. Additionally, ended up saving himself from another nightmare which he once experienced 6 years ago #INDvsSL

— Sandeep Kumar Boddapati (@sandeepskb128) January 3, 2023

First match ,

First victory of team 🇮🇳 for this 2023 ✨♥️#INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/ONySEGhDwK

— ANAM 🇮🇳 (@Anam_Nishat18) January 3, 2023

Didn't expect a last ball finish once #sanaka got out ,great fight by #karunaratne till the end

#INDvsSL

— Ashish Y (@Ashish27y) January 3, 2023

Poor Akshar might have been haunted by that 22-run over he bowled to MS, when Hardik handed over the ball to him. But kudos to him for holding his nerve, despite being hit for a six #INDvsSL

— Vidya S (@vidyasharada) January 3, 2023

Harshal is no longer a death bowler. He is new Chetan Sharma #INDvsSL

— Srinivasan 🇮🇳 (@skseenu) January 3, 2023

Batting collapse, less target than the expectations, completely new team, Captain Hardik Pandya pulled a win from the situation it seemed tough.. Many lessons to learn. We need to see a more great performance from the Team than this. #INDvSL #INDvsSL

— Atul Tiwari (@iTiwariAtul) January 3, 2023

#QuickByte: In T20Is since 18th March 2016, Sri Lanka have played 13 matches in India and haven't won a single game. They have lost 12 and one ended as a no-result.#INDvsSL | #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/9IDNbiETAW

— Cricket.com (@weRcricket) January 3, 2023

Just saw last 10 balls and Woah😳Gotta say You have to admit it #HardikPandya is a Great T-20 Captain in the making #AxarPatel had leaked runs he was 22 runs of 2 overs but Still chose him to bowl the penultimate over & showed complete Confident in him #INDvSL #SLvsIND #INDvsSL

— Varun Mishra (@Varun_M615) January 3, 2023

Hardik Pandya begins on a winning note as India captain#INDvsSL #INDvSL

— vineet jacob (@JacobVineet) January 3, 2023

Speaking of the entire action of the match, the Indian batting lineup crumbled in the beginning as they lost five wickets only on the score of 94 runs. None of the three Indian batters out of the top-four could touch the double-digit except the 37-run knock by Ishan Kishan off 29 balls with three boundaries and two sixes to his name.

Later at the end of the Indian innings, the pair of Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel completely changed the dynamics of the game as they stitched an amazing 68-run partnership off just 35 balls for the fifth wicket. Deepak Hooda played the highest individual knock for India in the match, he scored 41 runs off just 23 balls with a boundary and four sixes on his credit. Axar Patel accompanied Hooda with an individual knock of 31 runs off 20 balls with three boundaries and a six to his name.

While defending the target, the Indian pace attack including the likes of debutant Shivam Mavi alongside J&K sensation Umran Malik and Harshal Patel played a vital role in restricting Sri Lanka to only the score of 160 runs in the 20 overs. Young sensation Shivam Mavi amazed everyone with his dream debut by scalping four wickets by conceding only 22 runs in his spell of four overs. Umran Malik and Harshal Patel also scalped two wickets each.