India Under-19s continued their unbeaten streak in the Asian Cricket Council’s Youth Asia Cup with a six-wicket win against Sri Lanka Under-19s. Propelled by Shubman Gill’s 78-run knock, the Abhishek Sharma-led team chased down the 208-run target with ease in the Group A encounter at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium in Moratuwa.
After Sri Lanka elected to bat, Shiva Singh ended the opening stand for 58 with the wicket of Vishva Chathurang. After 23 runs, Yash Thakur followed up with the wicket of captain Kamindu Mendis to reduce SL to 81 for two. The duo then ran through the middle-order and with skipper Abhishek also chipping Sri Lanka lost six wickets with just 97 on the board.
And with the India captain accounting for Ravindu Sembukuttige a bit later, Sri Lanka were reeling on 115 for seven in the 27th over. Jehan Daniel however, continued to put up a resistance and kept the innings afloat with the lower-order. The No 8 batsman made a 90-ball 67 to put up a respectable total on the board. T Rashmika and Thilan Prasan contributed 14 runs each as they helped him negotiate the Indian bowlers and set a target for the side.
Daniel was the last wicket to fall in the penultimate over. Heramb Parab accounted for the batsman to wrap-up the Sri Lanka innings for 207.
Chasing a modest target, India lost Himanshu Rana with 20 runs on the board; bowled by Daniel for zero. Gill then joined Prithvi Shaw in setting up the chase for the team. The pair put together 40 runs for the second wicket until the opener was sent back by Prasan for 36.
Gill continued to hold up one end and forged a 86-run stand with Abhishek to keep India in command. The flourishing stand ended with P Jayawickrama accounting for the India captain. And 15 runs later he also sent back the No 3 bat to reduce India to 161 for four.
Priyam Garag and Salman Khan then took India to victory in an unbroken 47-run partnership with 61 balls to spare.
