India thrash Lanka in one-sided game
India ‘A’ openers smashed their opponents apart, while recording a comprehensive 10-wicket win against Sri Lanka ‘A’ to take a 2-0 lead of the 5-match Unofficial ODI series after the second game at Belgaum yesterday.
India ‘A’, opting to bowl, made Sri Lanka ‘A’ struggle and toil for runs, before their openers Ruthuraj Gaikwad and Shubnam Gill put on an unbroken partnership of 243 runs with 99 deliveries remaining to seal the victory. Gaikwad hammered an unbeaten knock of 125 off just 94 deliveries while hitting 14 fours and four sixes and Gill, faced 96 deliveries for his 109, which also had 14 boundaries and two sixes.
Sri Lanka used seven bowlers, six of them national caps, but failed to contain the Gaikwad-Gill onslaught.
Batting first, Sri Lanka ‘A’ were thrown into deep trouble, when they were struggling at 81-6 with almost all of their recognised batsmen falling cheaply. Middle-order batsman Shehan Jayasuriya and allrounder Ishan Jayaratne, who came in at number eight, battled 25.3 overs together, adding 142 runs for the seventh wicket.
Jayasuriya hit 101 off 139 deliveries inclusive of eight fours and a six, while Jayaratne remained unbeaten on 79 after facing 73 deliveries and hitting seven boundaries. India ‘A’ won the first Unofficial ODI by 48 runs at the same venue on Thursday. Both sides will meet again on Monday for the third game.
n Sri Lanka ‘A’ 242 for 7 wickets in 50 overs (Shehan Jayasuriya 101, Dasun Shanaka 20, Ishan Jayaratne 79n.o., Shivam Dube 2 for 47, Thushar Deshpande 2 for 51)
n India ‘A’ 243 for no loss in 33.3 overs (Ruthuraj Gaikwad 125n.o., Shubman Gill 109n.o.)