COLOMBO: Defending champions Sri Lanka beat India by three runs to win the 2018 Emerging Teams Asia Cup in a nail-biting final held on 15 December. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Chasing a target of 271, India were restricted to 267/9.
The tournament was hosted in Colombo and Karachi, Pakistan. India had reached the final after beating Pakistan in the semi final while Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh in the other semi final.
This is Sri Lanka’s second Emerging Teams Asia Cup victory in the brief history of three editions. Sri Lanka won the tournament last year in Bangladesh beating Pakistan in the final.
India had to depend on their tail to bring out the goods after Sri Lanka blew away their top order before the score reached three figures. Nitish Rana and captain Jayant Yadav led the attemped rescue effort, anchoring the lower order batsmen but it was too much of a target for them in the end. Yadav was the highest scorer for India with 70 runs.
India were struggling in their chase at 127 for 6 as the Sri Lankan spinners ran through the strong Indian middle order on a pitch which offered plenty of spin. Indian skipper Jayant Yadav and Shams Mulani added 107 runs for the 7th wicket to send jitters into the Sri Lankan camp.
Yadav made a brilliant 85-ball 71 with 5 fours, while Mulani stroked 46 runs off just 44 balls. But, Sri Lanka once again got them back to the driver’s seat through two exceptional pieces of brilliance on the field in the space of two balls.
Yet, India were kept in the hunt by Atit Sheth who made a couple of massive sixes in the final over. With 20 runs to win, ambidextrous bowler Kamindu Mendis was put to the sword by Sheth slamming 2 sixes. But, the Sri Lankan leaked only 16 runs as Sheth failed to connect the final delivery over the ropes.
Off-spinner Shehan Jayasuriya and left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya caused the early damage to India with some quality spin bowling as both took two wickets each.
Embuldeniya dismissed opening batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad and wicket-keeper batsman Simran Singh, while Jayasuriya clean bowled the two main pillars in the Indian lineup, Himmat Singh and Deepak Hooda.
Earlier, Sri Lankan opening batsman Hasitha Boyagoda cracked a fine half-century to lay a brilliant foundation, slamming 8 glorious fours during his well-compiled 54 off 62 deliveries.
Avishka Fernando and Sammu Ashan made 29 and 20 respectively, while Shehan Jayasuriya struck a vital 46 off 56 balls to hold the Sri Lankan middle order. All the Indian spinners took a wicket each as Sri Lanka milked them around effectively.
Once again, it was left-handed middle order batsman Kamindu Mendis, who provided to be the game changer for Sri Lanka, scoring his fourth half-century in the tournament. He struck a superb 61 off 55 deliveries with only 3 fours and 1 six as Sri Lanka posted a reasonable 270 on the board. Mendis was well-supported by Wanindu Hasaranga towards the end as he made 26-ball 31.
The 50-over tournament organised by the Asian Cricket Council featured four under-23 teams from Test nations and four top associate teams from Asia – Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India, Oman, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Sri Lanka hosted the group ‘’A’’ matches, knockout stage matches and the finals of the tournament; while Pakistan hosted the group ‘’B’’ matches.
