It eventually turned out to be a walk in the park for the India U-19 side as they thrashed Sri Lanka in the final by 9 wickets to win the Asian Cricket Council Under-19 Asia Cup title on Friday in Dubai. The match was interrupted by rain and Sri Lanka managed a paltry 108/9 in 38 overs. India’s adjusted target after the implementation of the DLS method was 102 runs, which they achieved without breaking any sweat. Opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi (56*) scored an unbeaten half-century in what was an easy chase for the Indians. Shaik Rasheed remained unbeaten on 31. Spinners Vicky Ostwal (3/11) and Kaushal Tambe (2/23) were the pick of the bowlers for the Indians as they decimated the Lankans.
Earlier, India produced a dominating bowling performance to restrict Sri Lanka to 106 for nine in the rain-hit U-19 Asia Cup final here on Friday. Sri Lanka opted to bat though early morning showers made conditions ideal for seam bowling first up. The Indian pace duo of Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Ravi Kumar made the ball talk though the former was a tad unlucky to not get a wicket.
Left-arm pacer Ravi got the first wicket of the match by removing Chamindu Wickramasinghe in the fourth over. The left-hander opener went for a big hoick over mid wicket but ended up mistiming it straight into the hands of Raj Bawa at third man.
Wickramasinghe’s opening partner Shevon Daniel tried to pull Bawa but the ball got big on him, taking a faint edge to wicketkeeper Aaradhya Yadav to leave Sri Lanka at 15 for two in the 11th over.
India, who have won a record seven Asia Cup titles, looked a far superior team. Hangargekar was the most impressive pacer in the first 10 overs, generating good pace that hurried the batters besides extracting movement off the pitch.
The Sri Lanka batters looked completely at sea against the Indian bowlers, be it fast bowlers or the spin pairing of Kaushal Tambe and Vicky Ostwal. Both off-spinner Tambe and left-arm spinner Ostwal got the odd ball to turn sharply.
Ostwal got two in one to leave Sri Lanka in dire straits at 57 for seven. Southpaw Dunit Wellagle attempted a slog sweep to break the shackles but ended up getting caught in the deep.
Two balls later Ranuda Somarathne missed Ostwal’s arm ball on the back foot, trapping him in front of the stumps.
With India set to bowl out Sri Lanka for a sub-100 total, heavy rain lashed Dubai International Cricket Stadium with the Islanders at 74 for for seven in 33 overs.
After a long delay, the match resumed and was revised to 38 overs a side.
In the five overs Sri Lanka had, they managed 32 runs for the loss of two wickets.
Promoted
Hangargekar got a much deserved wicket on the last ball of the innings with Antriksh Raghuvasnshi taking a diving catch at the square leg boundary to dismiss Matheesha Pathirana.
(With PTI inputs)
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