Yuvraj Singh steers India to victory
Chris DHAMBARAGE
Middle order batsman Yuvraj Singh hammered a sparkling century as the
touring Indian team cruised to a rousing 92 run victory over the Sri
Lanka Invitation XI in a 50 overs warm up match played at the P.
Saravanamuttu Stadium yesterday.
This was India’s only practice match ahead of the five match one day
international series against Sri Lanka which gets underway on Monday at
the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.
Yuvraj Singh was in tremendous form as he plundered a spectacular 172
to help India pile up a massive 342 runs from their 50 overs after
skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had won the toss and elected to bat first.
In reply the home side never looked like threatening the opposition
as they reached 250 for 6 largely due to two half centuries from opener
Upul Tharanga and Jehan Mubarak.
Yuvraj Singh after a slow start accelerate the scoring rate as he
hoisted thirteen sixes and struck eight boundaries while collecting his
runs from just 121 deliveries. In fact Yuvraj Singh reached his peak
form during the latter stages as he raced to his third fifty from only
16 deliveries during which time he hoisted Jehan Mubarak for four
successive sixes.
This was after the openers Gautham Gambhir and Virat Kohil had given
India a flying start while putting on 41 runs from five overs followed
by another useful contribution from Suresh Raina.
The Sri Lanka Invitation XI of course made a promising start through
their openers Upul Tharanga and Mahela Udawatte with a solid stand of 69
runs. Tharanga making a comeback into competitive cricket struck an
elegant half century from 58 deliveries with the help of one six and six
boundaries.
In addition Jehan Mubarak made some amends for his lapses on the
field earlier by compiling a top score of 60 from 74 deliveries
inclusive of four boundaries.
INDIA INNINGS
G Gambhir c Fernando b Welegedara 31
V Kohli c LPC Silva b Thushara 23
SK Raina c Thushara b Bandara 45
Yuvraj Singh c Udawatte b Welegedara 172
RG Sharma run out 24
MS Dhoni not out 20
IK Pathan not out 3
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-17, NB- 4) 24
TOTAL(5 wickets; 50 overs) 342
Did not bat: PP Ojha, MM Patel, Harbhajan Singh, RP Singh
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-41, 2-73, 3-150, 4-235, 5-334
BOWLING: CRD Fernando 10-0-75-0, UWMBCA Welegedara 9-0-64-2, T Thushara 10-0-66-1,
J Mubarak 10-0-76-0, BSM Warnapura 1-0-10-0, CM Bandara 10-1-48-1.
SRI LANKAN INVITATION XI
WU Tharanga c Dhoni b Singh 50
ML Udawatte c Singh b Pathan 20
BSM Warnapura c Gambhir b Pathan 10
CK Kapugedera c Raina b Harbhajan Singh 6
LPC Silva c Dhoni b Ojha 38
J Mubarak c Raina b Patel 60
JK Silva not out 38
T Thushara not out 18
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-5) 10
TOTAL (6 wickets; 50 overs) 250
Did not bat: CM Bandara, CRD Fernando, UWMBCA Welegedara
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-69, 2-86, 3-87, 4-100, 5-153, 6-225
BOWLING: RP Singh 7-0-39-1, MM Patel 10-1-36-1, IK Pathan 8-0-48-2, Harbhajan Singh 10-1-38-1,
PP Ojha 10-0-59-1, RG Sharma 3-0-20-0, SK Raina 2-0-5-0. |
