India vs Sri Lanka 2017, 1st T20I: What went right for the hosts

India continued their recent dominance over Sri Lanka as they secured a comprehensive 93-run victory over the visitors in the first of three T20Is at Cuttack on Wednesday.

Thisara Perera won the toss and invited India to bat first as the dew was expected to play a huge role later in the evening.

However, India got off to flying start courtesy fireworks from KL Rahul, who was sent to open the batting with Rohit Sharma, in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan.

Eventually, the hosts posted 180/3 in 20 overs but that proved to be too much for the touring party as they crumbled at 87 in 16 overs handing India their biggest T20I win while batting first.

The second T20I will be played at Indore on Friday, December 22.

Now, let's find out what went right for the hosts as they won the first T20I and took a 1-0 lead in the series.

#5 Dhoni batting at number 4

Beast mode

Few players have polarized opinions like MS Dhoni has done in the recent times. From speculations over his playing future to perennial arguments floating around over his batting position, Dhoni’s career is put under the scanner quite often.

However, for Dhoni, it has always been business as usual without paying any heeds to criticism.

Today, when he walked out to bat at number four in the first T20I, there were muffled mutterings and a lot of eyebrows were raised.

Dhoni sauntered in, took guard and smoked 39 off 22 balls.

Four boundaries, and one typical six off the final ball of the innings. Dhoni did what he does best and then walked out seemingly oblivious to what he had done.

“And MSD, he's just class. No. 4 really paid off. He's played so many games for us, won so many games for us and moving forward, we feel making him bat at No. 4 is ideal,” captain Rohit said after the match.

#4 Dhoni's glovework

The master behind the stumps

Even after 13 years in international cricket, MS Dhoni is a livewire behind the stumps and has the ability to shock batsmen with his lightning fast speed.

With two fine catches and two unbelievable stumpings, the former India skipper assisted spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, beautifully as they orchestrated India's biggest T20I win while batting first.

With 133 catches, Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara now jointly top the list of most catches by a wicketkeeper in the shortest format of the game.

During the T20I at Cuttack, the 36-year-old also went past AB de Villiers' record for most dismissals in 20-over international cricket, taking his tally to 74, one more than the South African's record.

#3 KL Rahul's batting at the top

He made a sterling comeback

KL Rahul made the most of Shikhar Dhawan's absence as he came out all guns blazing and gave India a rollicking start in the first T20I.

The crowd in Cuttack was thoroughly entertained by Rahul's fireworks with the bat as he brought up his second T20I fifty off just 34 balls.

With an inning of 61 off 48, comprising seven fours and a six, Rahul did not let India lose the momentum after Rohit Sharma's early dismissal.

His 63-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer came at a crucial juncture of the game as it enabled the hosts to put up 180 runs on the board in their quota of 20 overs.

#2 MS Dhoni-Manish Pandey partnership

Dhoni's finishing skills were back

Surprisingly, the biggest partnership of the match came in the last five overs of India's innings after the fall of well-set Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul.

India's finishing specialist MS Dhoni and Manish Pandey produced a thrilling unbeaten stand of 68 from 34 balls as they turned the tide in hosts' favour by scoring 19 runs off the 17th over bowled by Dushmantha Chameera.

The former India captain went after the loose deliveries and punished them as the duo scored 65 from the last 5 overs to end the innings on a high.

Dhoni, who closed the Indian innings with a six, scored unbeaten 39, while Pandey contributed 32 at the crucial time to take the hosts' total to 180/3 in 20 overs.

#1 Wrist spinner wreaking havoc

Chahal was superb

Although Sri Lanka gained an early advantage by winning the toss, their seamers failed to make an impact and were thrashed all over the park by Indian batsmen.

Thisara Perera's team, who did not rely much on spinners, ended up giving away 180 runs in 20 overs.

Rohit Sharma, unlike his Sri Lankan counterpart, trusted his wrist spinners to deal with the dew and his decision paid off quite handsomely in the end.

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who finished with figures of 4 for 23, flourished at the Barabati pitch as the Men in Blue recorded their biggest win in T20Is while batting first.

Chasing 181, Sri Lanka crumbled under the pressure built up by India's spin duo and eventually crashed to 87 all out in an innings that lasted just 16 overs.