U19 Asia Cup: India beat Sri Lanka by 9 wickets to lift eighth title; Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Vicky Ostwal shine

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Dubai, Dec 31: India produced a stellar show to thrash Sri Lanka by nine wickets in a rain-hit to lift their eighth U-19 Asia Cup title here on Friday (December 31).

Chasing a revised target of 102 runs, via the DLS method, India reached home in 21.3 overs with 63 balls to spare. It was Team India's third consecutive U19 Asia Cup title.

Opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored an unbeaten 56 off 67 deliveries in the run chase. Raghuvanshi's opening partner Harnoor Singh was dismissed cheaply for 5. Shaik Rasheed, however, scored 31 off 49 deliveries and forged an unbeaten 96-run partnership for the second wicket.

Earlier in the day, a dominating bowling performance helped India restrict Sri Lanka to 106 for nine after the Lankan colts opted to bat. Though early morning showers made conditions ideal for seam bowling first up.

The Indian pace duo of Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Ravi Kumar made the ball talk though the former was a tad unlucky to not get a wicket. Left-arm pacer Ravi got the first wicket of the match by removing Chamindu Wickramasinghe in the fourth over.

The left-hander opener went for a big hoick over mid-wicket but ended up mistiming it straight into the hands of Raj Bawa at third man. Wickramasinghe's opening partner Shevon Daniel tried to pull Bawa but the ball got big on him, taking a faint edge to wicketkeeper Aaradhya Yadav to leave Sri Lanka at 15 for two in the 11th over.

India, who have won a record seven Asia Cup titles, looked like a far superior team. Hangargekar was the most impressive pacer in the first 10 overs, generating a good pace that hurried the batters besides extracting movement off the pitch.

The Sri Lanka batters looked completely at sea against the Indian bowlers, be it fast bowlers or the spin pairing of Kaushal Tambe and Vicky Ostwal. Both off-spinner Tambe and left-arm spinner Ostwal got the oddball to turn sharply. Ostwal got two in one to leave Sri Lanka in dire straits at 57 for seven.

Southpaw Dunit Wellagle attempted a slog sweep to break the shackles but ended up getting caught in the deep. Two balls later Ranuda Somarathne missed Oswal's arm ball on the back foot, trapping him in front of the stumps.

With India set to bowl out Sri Lanka for a sub-100 total, heavy rain lashed Dubai International Cricket Stadium with the Islanders at 74 for seven in 33 overs. After a long delay, the match resumed and was revised to 38 overs per side.

In the five overs Sri Lanka had, they managed 32 runs for the loss of two wickets. Hangargekar got a much deserved wicket on the last ball of the innings with Antriksh Raghuvasnshi taking a diving catch at the square leg boundary to dismiss Matheesha Pathirana.

(With PTI inputs)