More exposure for Sri Lanka’s teen cricketers
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Ayana Siriwardena
The U19 Challenger Trophy, which traditionally is played between three Indian teams, will have a fourth entrant this year as the Indian cricket board has invited Sri Lankan teenagers to spice up the tournament, according Indian daily Indian Express. It will be the first time that any foreign team will be playing the Challenger series. The main aim for the move is to give more exposure and competition to the three Indian teams ahead of the U19 world cup early next year.
“All these boys have played with each other for quite some time now. The BCCI wants to give more meaning to these contest at the same time playing a foreign team will help prepare India Under-19 team which is scheduled to play U19 World Cup next year in New Zealand,” sources in the BCCI told The Indian Express.
Meanwhile SLC vice-president in charge of Domestic and International cricket K. Mathivanan told the Sunday Times “The side is not the official international squad. We have picked a team of fringe players plus a few more youngsters who needs exposure ahead of the World Cup tournament in New Zealand.
The Sri Lankan Cricket Board accepted the request and will be sending their U19 team to play in Mumbai where each team will play three league games with the two top teams qualifying for the finals. It will be played under floodlights in Mumbai.
Mumbai’s opener Prithvi Shaw will lead Team A, whereas Himanshu Rana will captain Team B whereas Abhishek Sharma has been named skipper for Team C. The junior selection committee has named 13 players in each squad and the tournament will help selectors pick their final core team which will take part in the U19 World Cup.
Isipathana allrounder Ayana Siriwardena will lead the SLC Under 19 team.
| Under-19 Challengers Youth ODI Series | |
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