India Under-19s posted their second successive win in the Tri-Nation tournament with a four-run win against Sri Lanka Under-19s as per the Duckworth/Lewis method at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo after bad light stopped play. Amandeep Khare scored a sparkling century to help set-up the match for the Ricky Bhui-led team while the Rahul Batham-led bowling unit helped pull off a narrow win.
Powered by Khare’s 98-ball 102, complemented by MS Washington Sundar’s 77, India posted a respectable total of 284 for seven.
Ishan Kishan was the first to depart ending the opening stand for 77. Sundar and Khare then helped the team to 184 in a 107-run partnership before Shammu Ashan struck to remove the opener. Khare then stitched a 82-run stand with Virat Singh until the latter was sent back by Asitha Fernando. The No 3 batsman followed him back with the score still on 266 and 23 balls left in the innings. Wickets fell in quick succession as the middle-order returned to the dressing room for low scores in an effort to add quick runs to the tally and Fernando finished with three wickets for 54 runs.
Batham then gave India their first breakthrough with the wicket of M Pereria with the home team on 60. Avishka Fernando and Charith Asalanka then put together a second wicket partnership for 94 until the former was run out. Seven overs later, the pacer castled the SL captain for 74. The match was inching towards a thrilling finish as India strove to keep the opposition in check while the SL middle-order toiled to take the team across the line.
However, bad light stopped play with SL on 250 for five with three overs left in the game. With the conditions not allowing for further play and the D/L target at the juncture being 255 in 47 overs, India won the match.
Brief scores: Ind U19 284/7 in 50 overs (A Khare 102, MS W Sundar 77, A Fernando 3/54) beat SL U19 250/5 in 47 overs (A Fernando 75, C Asalanka 74, R Batham 2/32) by 4 runs under D/L method [D/L target 255 in 47 overs]
