Young Lankans salvage cricket pride
Sri Lanka scored a thrilling three run win over fancied India to emerge champions of the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Team Cup 2018 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday. The a fine team effort the young Lankans exhibited at this crucial match was the secret behind their success.
Sri Lankan grabbed victory which was heading India's way in the 47th over when they broke the century partnership of skipper Yadav and Nitish Rana as both were dismissed within the space of three deliveries.
Winning the toss Sri Lankans posted a respectable 270 for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Playmaker Kamindu Mendis top scored with a fighting 61 coming
off in 55 balls including one six and four hits to the ropes. Hasitha Boyagoda in his usual style collected a cool 54 in 62 deliveries consisting of eight well timed hits to the ropes.
Mendis was associated in a timely 67 for the seventh wicket with Wanindu Hasaranga, mainly helped the champions' total. Hasaranga's contribution was an unbeaten 31. Sri Lanka's inning was steadied with the second wicket partnership of 86 runs by Boyagoda and Avishka Fernando after the Lankans lost the first wicket of Weerakkody with the score at five. Middle order batters Avishka Fernando ( 29), Shehan Jayasuriya (49), skipper Shammu Ashan ( 20) and Wanindu Hasaranga ( 31 n. o.) contributed well for the Sri Lanka total.
For the Indians right arm medium fast bowler A.S. Rajpoot (2 for 61) along with S. Z. Mulani ( 1 for 40), M. Markunde ( 1 for 47), J. Yadav (1 for 37) and W. Ranel (1 for 30) bowled well to keep the free scoring young Lankans in check.
India in their run chase didn't start off well as their five front line batsmen were sent into the the pavilion with the scoreboard read- ing 83. Then came the foundation laying partnership of 44 runs for the sixth wicket by Nitish Rana and skipper Yadav. With the exit of Rana the skipper was joined by S. Mulani to associate in a valuable partnership of 107 runs. When India was heading for a victory the game turned Lanka's way in the 47th over when the Indian skipper was well caught by counterpart Shammu Ashan for 71. His inning was fashioned with five well timed boundaries came off in 84 deliveries.
With one run added to the total S. Mulani was run out by a direct throw by Shehan Jayasuriya from mid wicket. India lost the ninth wicket at 238 in the 48th over. The game took another dramatic turn in the last over bowled by Kamindu Mendis as the Indian last pair scored 16 runs and took India near the target but fell short by three runs.