LAHORE, Oct 31: A patient undefeated 72 by opener Harsh Vithana and a four-wicket haul by Farviz Mahroof guided Sri Lanka to a four-wicket win over India in the Under-19 Asia Cup at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
Vithana’s 116-ball knock with six boundaries helped Sri Lanka to reach the target with 8.1 overs to spare scoring 195 for six wickets after India were restricted to 194 for nine wickets. Sri Lanka, who had made a flying start of 40 runs in first seven overs, were in trouble when Vithana’s partner Damindu Kularatne (21, two fours, 27 balls) and Kaushal Silva had been removed at the same total off consecutive balls by leg-spinner Riyush Chawla.
Indian’s skipper Rayudu had introduced Chawla from the seventh over after Suarav Sarkar had conceded 23 runs in three overs.
Sri Lanka lost two more wickets, both to pacer Irfan Pathan, before the total reached at 88. But Vithana, who was batting sensibly and held one end, found a reliable ally in Ratnayake, who contributed 41 with four boundaries off 50 balls to ensure victory.
Irfan also removed Kosala Kulaserkara but could not prevent Sri Lankans from winning comfortably.
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first and their seamers took full advantage of conditions to put India on the defensive as the wickets fell at regular intervals.
Rayudu (38, three fours, 74 balls) with Suresh Saina (23, one four) added 52 runs for the fourth wicket and later Irfan (32, two fours) and Dinesh Karthik (35, one four) plundered 60 runs for the seventh wicket that gave Indian total some respectability.
Mahroof finished with fine figures of 4-21 and received good support from right-arm pacer Angelo Mattews who chipped in with three wickets for 23.
Vitahana was adjudged Man-of-the-Match.
Scoreboard
INDIA:
Robin Uthappa lbw Mahroof 8
Sahil Kukreja c Ratnayake b Mahroof 11
Rakesh Solanki c Ratnayake b Mahroof 3
A.T Rayudu b Mattews 38
Suresh Saina c Gihan b Mattews 23
Sunny Singh b Mattews 2
Dinesh Karthik c Mattews b Zoysa 35
Irfan Pathan c Kosala b Mahroof 32
Piyush Chawla run out 6
V.R Singh not out 9
Suarav Sarkar not out 8
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-9, NB-7) 19
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 194
FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-23,3-40, 4-92, 5-96, 6-103, 7-163, 8-174, 9-174.
BOWLING: Farviz Mahroof 10-2-21-4 (nb3, w1); Manoj Chanaka 10-0-53-0 (nb6, w7); Angelo Mathews 10-2-23-3 (nb1, w1); Kosala Kulasekara 3.5-0- 28-0 (nb2); Ganganath Ratnayake 6-0-28-0; Sudeera Zoysa 10.1-0-38-1.
SRI LANKA:
Damindu Kularatne b P Chawla 21
Harsh Vithana not out 72
Kaushal Silva lbw P Chawla 0
Gihan de silva lbw V.R Singh 21
Farvis Mahroof c D Karthik b Irfan 4
Ganganath Ratnayake c Dinesh b Irfan 41
Kosala Kulasekara lbw Irfan 17
Sandan Dias not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-11, NB-4) 19
TOTAL (for six wkts, 41.5 overs) 195
FALL OF WKTS: 1-40, 2-40, 3-73, 4-88, 5-161, 6-189.
DID NOT BAT: Sudeera Zoysa, Manoj Chanaka, Angelo Mattews.
BOWLING: Irfan Pathan 10-0-61-3 (nb2, w3); Suarav Sarkar 3-0-23-0 (w1); Piyush Chawla 7.5-1-35-2 (nb1, w3); Suresh Raina 7-1-21-0; V.R Singh 10-0-41-1 (w4); Sunny Singh 4-0-10-0 (nb1).
UMPIRES: Mian Mohammad Aslam (Pakistan). Nadir Shah (Bangladesh).
REFEREE: Sultan Rana.