Cricket

Balage Dilruksha leads South Korea to comfortable victory in T20I series opener

  • Authored By: Sports Now
  • Updated Oct 3, 2026, 10:00 IST

South Korea secured a dominant 7-wicket win over Indonesia in the first T20I at Incheon, with Balage Dilruksha anchoring a successful chase of 123.

Balage Dilruksha leads South Korea to comfortable victory in T20I series opener

South Korea dominate with the ball

South Korea opened their four-match T20I series against Indonesia with a clinical performance at the Yeonhui Cricket Ground in Incheon. After Indonesia won the toss and elected to bat, the South Korean bowling attack maintained disciplined lines to restrict the visitors to a modest total of 122/7 from their allotted 20 overs.

Aamir Lal proved to be the standout performer with the ball, delivering a precise four-over spell that yielded 2/15. His ability to stifle the scoring rate kept the pressure on the Indonesian batting lineup throughout the first half of the match. While Kavin Chaddha anchored the innings for Indonesia with a patient 50 off 53 balls, he lacked sufficient support to accelerate the scoring. Gede Priandana provided a brief spark with 26 runs from 20 balls, but the Indonesian side struggled to find momentum against a well-drilled South Korean unit.

Dilruksha guides the chase

Chasing a target of 123 for victory, South Korea approached the task with composure. The hosts navigated the early overs without losing a wicket, setting a stable platform for the middle order. The innings saw a significant turning point when Sageer Ahmad, who had been instrumental in the early stages of the chase, fell at 70 runs in 9.5 overs. Despite the loss of his partner, Balage Dilruksha remained unmoved at the crease.

Dilruksha took control of the innings, finishing with a commanding 70 off 53 balls to steer his side toward the target. His ability to rotate the strike and find the boundary ensured that the required run rate never became an issue for the hosts. South Korea reached the target with 7 wickets in hand, comfortably securing the win and taking a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. Alongside Dilruksha and Aamir Lal, Kadek Gamantika also made a notable contribution to the team's successful outing in Incheon.