In reply to India’s 273 for 8 Sri Lanka were all out for 239 runs in 48.4 overs. The Sri Lankan youth were well on course for victory at many stages of the match but lost their way after losing wickets at regular intervals. Opener Raven Kelly top scored with 62 facing 101 deliveries with five fours and a six and skipper Kamindu Mendis also batted well to score 53 facing 57 deliveries with four boundaries.

Abhishek Sharma took 4 for 37 and Rahul Chahar was the second best taking 3 for 22 which included a spectacular catch off his own bowling to dismiss Arachchige which probably changed the course of the game.

India Under 19 top order flourished for a while with two half centuries by Shubman Gill (70) who faced 92 deliveries and struck four fours and and another 71 byHimanshi Rana who faced 79 balls and hit six fours and a six with useful contributions coming from the bats of Abhishek Sharma and Salman Khan to take India towards a challenging score of 273 for 8 in their 50 overs.

India would have been aiming towards the 300 run mark but from 224 for 4 in the 44th over they lost one of their prolific scorers Shubman Gill for 70 and India were pulled back a bit.

They lost a couple of quick wickets in the quest of looking for quick runs . But opening bowler Kamlesh Nagarkoti gave the Indian tail a good twist with a well hit 23 to see India reaching their final total of 273 in the 50 overs. Nipun Rashmika was the most successful bowler taking three wickets while Praveen Jayawardene was the pick of the spinners with three wickets.

In reply to Sri Lanka’s modest 207 in 48.5 overs the Indian counterparts reached the required target 208 for 4 in 39.5 overs.

The Indians in their run chase lost an early wicket of opener Rana for no score but runs came briskly as Prithive Shaw and Shubman Gill set the pace. With Abhishek Sharma joining the run fest adding 86 runs for the third wicket to take India closer to the target. They were 89 for 2 in 15 overs and 132 for 2 in the 24th over. Shubman Gill’s 78 was made off 78 deliveries and contained ten fours and a six while Abhishek Sharma faced 51 deliveries for his 33 with a solitary boundary and a six.

The Sri Lankan skipper in an desperate effort of unsettling the batsmen tried nine bowlers but was unable to unsettle the Indian batsmen who batted with a touch of professionalism.

Earlier Sri Lanka captain Kavindu Mendis won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Kelly and Chaturanga got off to a reasonable start putting on 58 runs for the first wicket in 8.5 overs. After Kelly was bowled by Abhishek Sharma for 27 Kavindu Mendis joined by Chaturanga took the score up to 81 when Mendis was out for 12 in the 14th over.

Besides the dismissals of the top three, the rest of the middle order crumbled, batsmen Boyagoda, Croospulle, Bandara and Sembukuttige were out cheaply and the side ushered in a crisis situation. Shiva Singh and Thakur bowled effectively to restrict the scoring till Jehan Daniel injected some life to gloomy proceedings and took the score to some extent of respectability. With more than half of the side out for 97 (6/97) Daniel in the company of Rashmika and Prasan took the score exceeding the 200-run mark.

Rasmika and Daniel added 35 valuable runs for the eighth wicket in nine overs and Daniel went on to compile a well struck 67 with five fours and a six facing 90 deliveries.

Shiva Singh (3 for 32), Y.S. Thakur (2 for 38) and Abhishek Sharma (2 for 32) were the main wicket takers for India.