India Blue beat Sri Lanka Board President’s XI by 95 runs to clinch the Under 19 Paytm Challenger Trophy at The Cricket Club of India ground in Mumbai. While Shivam Mavi (3/15) starred with the ball, Manoj Bhandage’s half-century earlier had lifted the hosts to a respectable 244 in the final.
In the face-off for the third place, India Green triumphed over India Red by 21 runs. Ishan Porel claimed three while Pankaj Yadav accounted for 5/57 to help the team defend 285 runs at the Wankhede Stadium.
India Blue vs SL BP XI: Spurred by chants ‘Mavi...Mavi’ by team-mates, the pacer bowled an excellent first spell of 5-3-6-3 to push the visitors on the backfoot. The SL BP XI never recovered from the early blows and were bowled out for 149. “The wicket was on the slower side today. I thought of bowling fuller as it was seaming a bit and driving the ball would be difficult,” said Mavi, who had bowled a disciplined line to tie the batsmen down was well complemented from the other end by Aditya Thakare. Mavi said that he had told his fellow pacer to bowl at the stumps and shared his plans with him.
Chasing the 245-run target, SLBP XI were reeling at18 for three. Mavi forced an edge from Viswa Chathiranga to claim his first scalp while Dhananjaya Lakshan who was troubled by the pacer’s nagging line departed top-edging the ball. And Santhush Gunatilleke followed him back in Mavi’s next over. After 32 runs, Mandeep Singh claimed Nuwanidu Fernando while Harsh Tyagi rattled Nipun Dananjaya’s stumps to leave the hosts tottering on 54 for five.
Nishan Madhushka and Ravindu Sanjana then plodded on as they stitched a 71-run stand to keep the innings afloat. However, the partnership ended with Sanjana’s run out leaving the side on 125 for six. After Madhushka’s run out, the tail-enders caved in to the India Blue attack and were bowled out. Ninad Rathva (3/28) wrapped up the tail to hand the home team a comprehensive win.
After being asked to bat, India Blue lost Manjot Kalra with 31 runs on the board. The opener departed taking the aerial route to Ayan Siriwardena. Urvil Patel then joined Himanshu Rana in the middle and shifted the momentum in the hosts favour. Batting effortlessly the No 3 batsman milked the SLBPXI bowlers with ease. The skipper to joined in plundering runs off the attack as the duo added 120 runs for the second wicket. The flourishing partnership was ended by the SL BP XI captain, who accounted for his opposite number. Rana departed lofting the ball to mid-off and in the next over Fernando dismantled Patel’s stumps without a run added to the scorecard to leave India Blue on 151 for three.
From there on the India Blue batsmen were kept on a tight leash by the SL BP XI spinners and continued to lose wickets in clusters at regular intervals. With the side on 172, Rathva departed hitting Sanjana towards covers while Om Bhosale was bowled by Fernando leaving the side on 174 for five. Bhandage (53 off 50), who then came to the crease played a mature knock even as wickets fell at regular intervals
“We had got off to a good start. When I went in to bat, the situation was a bit difficult but the wicket wasn’t that difficult. I decided to take it one ball at a time. I looked for singles. I was sharing my plan with the others and telling them that we will take it three overs at a time. Splitting the innings and playing would help.”
Bhandage helped the side to 244 before departing on the penultimate ball of the innings. And with Thakare being run out off the last delivery, India Blue were bowled out for 244.
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http://www.bcci.tv/challenger-trophy-mens-under-19-one-day-limited-overs-2017-18/match/08India Red vs India Green: After electing to field, Vivek Anand Tiwari claimed both India Green openers – Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill (24 off 33) to leave India Green on 49 for two. A while later Arshdeep Singh accounted for Priyam Garg to leave the side on 66 for three. Harvik Desai then joined Aryan Juyal (73 off 90) in shaping the innings. The pair added 127 runs for the fourth wicket until the wicketkeeper-batsman was run out for 66. After 13 runs, Juyal was sent back by Shiva Singh leaving the side on 206 for five with six overs left in the innings.
Arshdeep then followed up with the wicket D Nalkande to leave the team on 215 for six. However, the late onslaught by Mohit Jangra (49* off 21) in an unbroken 70-run partnership for the seventh wicket with SF Khan (26*) helped India Green to 285 runs.
Chasing a stiff target, India Red captain Prithvi Shaw was bowled by Ishan Porel for 19. A bit later, the bowler claimed Atharva Taide to leave the side on 47 for two. 37 runs later Ayush Badoni was sent back by Pankaj Yadav. Anju Rawat (97) and Riyan Parag (50 off 39) then built a 126 run partnership to keep their team in the match. However, after Abhishek Sharma claimed Parag to leave the side on 210 for four the rest of the line-up crumbled. In the next over Pankaj Yadav claimed Anuj Rawat and KL Nagarkoti to leave India Red on 210 for six. Yadav ran through the lower-order to bowl India Red out for 264 and finished with a five-for.
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http://www.bcci.tv/challenger-trophy-mens-under-19-one-day-limited-overs-2017-18/match/07 
