The first unofficial Test match between India A and Sri Lanka A (IND A vs SL A), played in Galle, Sri Lanka, ended in a draw. Rain played a part in dampening India A’s hopes of victory in this four-day red-ball contest. The Indian team had set a target of 312 runs for Sri Lanka. After losing two wickets for 34 runs, Sri Lanka’s innings was steadied by Nuwanindu Fernando and Ashel Bandara, who managed to secure a draw.
At one stage, the Indian team appeared to have the upper hand. On the fourth day, after setting a target of 312 runs, India A had reduced Sri Lanka A to 34 for 2 by the fifth over. However, rain interrupted play for about an hour to an hour and a half. This caused India to lose the match’s momentum, and by the time play resumed, it was too late.
Dhruv Jurel: The Top Batter
India A captain Dhruv Jurel was the standout batter of the match. He scored an unbeaten 141 in the first innings and managed 14 runs in the second. With a total of 155 runs, he emerged as the highest run-scorer of the match. Meanwhile, emerging bowler Auqib Nabi Dar from Jammu & Kashmir claimed a total of 5 wickets—taking 4 in the first innings and 1 in the second.
Batting first, the Indian team posted 452 for 6, thanks to magnificent centuries by Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel. In response, Sri Lanka A scored 330 runs, giving India A a lead of 122 runs. Sri Lankan bowlers staged a strong comeback in India’s second innings, reducing them to 189 for 8.
Subsequently, the Indian team declared their innings. Sri Lanka was set a target of 312 runs for victory. The team had lost two wickets for 34 runs. Then came a rain break, and play was halted. Ultimately, the match ended in a draw. The second match of this unofficial Test series will also be played in Galle, starting on July 2.
Brief Scores:
India A 452/6d (Dhruv Jurel 141, Sai Sudharsan 132; Chamika Gunasekera 3-84) & 189/8d (Devdutt Padikkal 67, Ayush Pandey 38; Dilum Sudeera 5-49) drew with Sri Lanka A 330 (Nuwanidu Fernando 84, Sahan Arachchige 72; Auqib Nabi 4-58) & 70/2 (Pawantha Weerasinghe 20; Auqib Nabi 1-18).
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