By Dhammika Ratnaweera
Sri Lanka emerging cricket team won their opening game by 109 runs against Oman but lost their captain Charith Asalanka and leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay for the rest of the tournament due to injuries sustained during the encounter at the R. Premadasa stadium.
The duo will be replaced by batting all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya and right arm leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.
Skipper Asalanka suffered a knee injury while he was running between the wicket and had to return back to the pavilion after scoring 10 runs. Vandersay sustained serious casualties to have dislocated his arm while fielding and was rushed to the hospital. Asalanka too have been admitted to a private hospital and his conditions will be analysed after a MRI scan.
Vice captain Shammu Ashan will act as the skipper for the rest of the tournament.
However, the reigning champions, Sri Lanka cruised their way past Oman by 109 runs, while India defeated Afghanistan by 74 runs in their opening matches of the 3rd ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2018 on Friday, 7th December at R. Premadasa International Stadium and CCC Grounds, Colombo respectively.
The co-hosts, Sri Lanka produced a dominating batting performance at Khettarama amassing 324 for 5 from their 50 overs before restricting Oman to 215 for 8 from their 50 overs.
After electing to bat first, four half-centuries by Avishka Fernando, Hasitha Boyagoda, Kamindu Mendis and Sammu Ashan propelled the Lankans. Fernando, opening the batting made a fine 56 off 54 balls with 9 fours to give Sri Lanka a solid start. Boyagoda top-scored with a cracking 94-ball 80 to anchor the innings after skipper Charith Asalanka injured his leg while batting and had to retire.
Left-handed Mendis was cool and calm during his knock of 75, which came in just 62 balls. He fell in the penultimate over but it was vice-captain Ashan who gave the finishing touches to the Lankan innings with a blitzkrieg knock of 57 in 34 deliveries with 3 sixes and 3 fours.
Off-spinner Jay Odedra bowled well on a placid surface capturing 3 scalps for 47 runs from his 10 overs.
In reply, Oman was only in the game when their openers, Jatinder Singh and Twinkal Bhandari, were going strong during their 74-run stand. After their separation, Oman failed to build momentum in their chase as Sri Lankan bowlers strangled the Omani batsmen.
None of the Oman batsmen made a half-century as off-spinner Sammu Ashan and fast bowler Shehan Madushanka took two wickets apiece for Sri Lanka.
Oman only managed a score of 215 runs for the loss of 8 wickets from their 50 overs as Sri Lanka prospered on home conditions.
Middle order batsman Deepak Hooda’s scintillating century helped India post a solid score of 281 for 8 wickets in their allotted 50 overs. The bowlers led by off-spinning skipper Jayant Yadav then cleaned up Afghanistan for 207 as former winners India were clinical in their opening match.
After being sent into bat, India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad in the second over as Fazal Haque struck early for Afghanistan. Wicket-keeper batsman Ankush Bains and one-drop batsman, left-handed Nitish Rana added 59 runs for the second wicket.
Both Rana and Bains fell within the space of 7 deliveries as Afghanistan came back into the game. But, Afghanistan’s resurgence was short-lived as number five batsman Hooda played a cracking knock, 105 off 103 balls with 12 fours and a six. Hooda anchored the innings excellently and got able assistance from skipper Jayant Yadav and Atit Sheth, who made identical scores of 31 each.
Fazal Haque was the most impressive bowler for the Afghans taking 3 scalps.
Chasing 282 runs to win, Afghanistan top order got vital starts but did not go onto to post substantial, match-winning scores. One-down batsman Shahidullah Kamal made a slow 82-ball 47 before becoming leg-spinner Mayank Markande’s first scalp.
Karim Janat scored a fine half-century, 58 in 88 deliveries in the middle overs. But, it was Jayant Yadav’s three-wickets, which restricted Afghanistan to 98 for 5.
Janat and Kamal constructed a resurrecting 80-run stand for the 6th wicket, yet it was too much for them to chase as Indian bowlers finished off the innings with more than five overs to spare.
Markande and Yadav took 3 wickets apiece for the winners.
On Saturday, 8th December, India will battle against Oman at R. Premadasa Stadium, while the co-hosts Sri Lanka will take on Afghanistan at CCC Grounds.
EMERGING TEAMS ASIA CUP 2018
Fri 7-Dec
Sri Lanka vs Oman at RPICS, Colombo
SRI LANKA WON BY 109 RUNS
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat
Sri Lanka: 324 for 5 off 50 overs (A.Fernando 56, H.Boyagoda 80, K.Mendis 75, S.Ashan 57*; J.Odedra 3-47)
Oman: 215 for 8 off 50 overs (T.Bhandari 32, J.Singh 36, A.Lalcheta 34)
Player of the Match: Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)
India vs Afghanistan at CCC, Colombo
INDIA WON BY 74 RUNS
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field
India: 281 for 8 off 50 overs (A.Bains 34, D.Hooda 105, J.Yadav 31, Atit Sheth 31; F.Farooqi 3-54)
Afghanistan: 207 all out off 44.4 overs (R.Gurbaz 39, S.Kamal 47, K.Janat 58; J.Yadav 3-37, M.Markande 3-41)
Player of the Match: Deepak Hooda (India)
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