India U19 make bold reply after Sri Lankan batting collapse

The 1st unofficial Youth Test between the visiting India U19s and Sri Lanka U19s got underway at the NCC grounds in Colombo today(17).

The India U19s made a bold reply of 92/1 in just 16.4 overs, after they managed to restrict the Sri Lanka U19s to 244 earlier in the day.

Photos: U19 India v Sri Lanka Media Briefing

Sri Lanka U19 skipper Nipun Dananjaya won the toss and decided to have a bat first before Arjun Tendulkar – son of legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar – trapped the aggressive Kamil Mishara in front for 9 runs.

Skipper Dananjaya walked in at no. 3 as he and Nishan Madushka steadied the ship for the hosts to a certain extent with a half century stand for the second wicket. The dismissal of Madushka sparked a mini collapse as the hosts were in a sport of bother at 128/4 with left arm spinner Harsh Tyagi on fire with the ball for India.

Pasindu Sooriyabandara was striking the ball as clean as ever as he decided to counter punch the Indian bowlers. He found an ideal partner in Sandun Mendis – who carries the tag of a crisis player in the schools arena – as the duo put on 78 runs for the 5th wicket. Sooriyabandara hit three massive sixes as the partnership gathered momentum but Mendis fell at a crucial juncture of the match for 39, as Sri Lanka lost their last six wickets for just 38 runs to be bowled out for 244.

 Photos: Sri Lanka U19 Team for India Series 2018

While Tyagi ended with four top order scalps, right arm off-spinner Ayush Badoni complemented beautifully picking up 4/24 cleaning up the handy Sri Lankan lower order. Sooriyabandara was running out of partners fast before he eventually was dismissed as the ninth batsman for a promising 69.

The Indians just like they did in their warm up game, came out all guns blazing. Skipper Anuj Rawat was particularly impressive with his clean striking as he got to his half century off just 42 deliveries.

Rawat was unfortunate to fall for 63 in the final over of the day, when right arm off-spinner Kalhara Senarathne got the better of him as Sri Lanka breathed a sigh of relief after a 92 run opening stand.

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Atharva Taide played second fiddle to his skipper as he remained unbeaten on 26* when the umpires decided to call off play with the Indian U19s on 92/1, 152 runs behind the Sri Lanka U19s.