In Pics: Covid-hit Team India battles as Lankan Lions win T20I encounter

Chasing 133 for victory, Sri Lanka depended on an unbeaten 28-run seventh-wicket partnership between De Silva and Chamika Karunaratne, who made 12, to achieve their target 

Dhananjaya de Silva hit 40 not out as Sri Lanka beat India by four wickets in the COVID-19 delayed second Twenty20 international to level the series at 1-1 on Wednesday.

Chasing 133 for victory, Sri Lanka depended on an unbeaten 28-run seventh-wicket partnership between De Silva and Chamika Karunaratne, who made 12, to achieve their target with two balls to spare in Colombo.

Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and elected to bowl in the COVID-19 delayed Twenty20 international against India on Wednesday with virus positive Krunal Pandya and his close contacts forced to sit out the game.

The second T20 of the three-match series was postponed hours before the scheduled start on Tuesday after India's Pandya was found positive during a routine check in Colombo.

The hosts, who trail the series 1-0, had made two changes from their loss in the opening game with Ramesh Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama making the team.

With Krunal and eight close contacts isolating in a hotel, India handed debuts to Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Chetan Sakariya and Nitish Rana.

"We're street-fighters and ready to face the challenges," said captain Shikhar Dhawan. "Our main players aren't here, but that gives the chance to the younger players."

India coach Rahul Dravid said, "If you're selected to play for India, whether it's 15 players or 20 players, you should be good enough to play in the XI."

The limited-overs series had already been pushed back by five days after an outbreak of Covid-19 in the Sri Lankan camp.

All the matches are being held at the R. Premadasa Stadium, without spectators as Sri Lanka battles a surge in pandemic cases.

Sri Lanka:

Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Ramesh Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (capt), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Isuru Udana, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananjaya.

India:

Shikhar Dhawan (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (wk), Nitish Rana, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Rahul Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya, Varun Chakravarthy

Spinner Akila Dananjaya led a disciplined Sri Lanka bowling attack to restrict India to 132 for five in the COVID-19 delayed second Twenty20 international on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka, who trail the three-match series 1-0, opted to bowl as India fielded four debutants after virus positive Krunal Pandya and eight of his close contacts were forced to sit out the game in Colombo.

Dananjaya, who bowls a subtle mix of finger spin and wrist spin, returned figures of 2-29 including the key wicket of skipper Shikhar Dhawan, bowled for 40.

The left-handed Dhawan put on a brisk 49-run opening stand with debutant Ruturaj Gaikwad (21) and carried on in the same vein with Devdutt Padikkal (29), also playing his first T20 on what seemed a sluggish pitch.

But Wanindu Hasaranga bowled the left-handed Padikkal in the 16th overs with his leg-spin as India found it tough to push the run rate.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson is a star in the Indian Premier League, however, the young gun has failed on the international level. He is unlikely to get into the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. 

Earlier India posted 132-5 after they fielded four debutants following virus positive Krunal Pandya and eight of his close contacts forced to sit out the game, which was postponed hours before the scheduled start on Tuesday.

The third and deciding T20 is on Thursday at the same venue.