India Cruise Past SLC XI in Final Warm-Up Ahead of Sri Lanka Tests

India beat Sri Lanka Cricket XI by six wickets in their warm-up match in Colombo on August 9, getting the ideal preparation before the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka had set India 207 to win after declaring their second innings at 200/6. Yashasvi Jaiswal led India’s chase with 61 from 46 balls before retiring out. Mohammed Siraj then produced a stunning finish, hitting three sixes in a row and a four off spinner Keshara Nuwantha in the final over to seal a thrilling win for India.

India still played out the final two deliveries of the over after reaching the target, with Siraj remaining unbeaten on 32 from just 15 balls.

Jaiswal and Gill Give India Strong Start

Jaiswal and Shubman Gill gave India a strong start, putting together 100 runs for the opening wicket in only 15 overs. Jaiswal retired after reaching his half-century so that other batters could spend some time at the crease before the first Test.

Gill made 44 before Keshara Nuwantha dismissed him, with the Indian captain caught at short thirdman off an outside edge. Dhruv Jurel was next to fall, making 17 before being removed by Vishwa Fernando.

Rishabh Pant showed patience during his 28 off 68 balls, hitting three fours and a six. Ravindra Jadeja added 22 before retiring out to give India’s lower-order batters an opportunity.

Jaiswal Attacks After First-Innings Duck

India needed 207 from at least 45 overs after Sri Lanka Cricket XI declared at 200/6 from 45 overs at the end of their second innings on Day 3.

Jaiswal, who had been dismissed for a duck in the first innings, attacked from the beginning and regularly found the boundary. He reached his fifty with a four against off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha in the 15th over before hitting the same bowler for another four and a six.

Nishan Madushka completed his second fifty of the match, but India’s bowlers kept taking wickets during the second session. Madushka attacked once again, scoring 63 from 73 balls with 10 fours before retiring at lunch to allow other Sri Lanka XI batters some time in the middle.

Jadeja finished with 2/33 and Gurnoor Brar took 2/37, while Siraj and Prasidh Krishna picked up one wicket each. Anjala Bandra scored 35 and Nipun Dhananjaya made 46 as Sri Lanka Cricket XI reached 200.

India Bowlers Make Early Inroads

India had declared their first innings at their overnight score of 357/6 before their fast bowlers made early inroads. Siraj gave India their first breakthrough when he trapped Ravindu Rasantha lbw for eight with an incoming delivery in the fifth over.

Prasidh then struck a few overs later, knocking over Pasindu Sooriyabandara for four with a sharp inswinger. Brar removed Pavan Rathnayake for 16, while Auqib Nabi went without a wicket from his five overs in the first session after coming on as first change.

Jadeja claimed his first wicket when Anjala Bandra was caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at slip for 35 in the 33rd over. Brar strengthened his case for a place in India’s XI for the first Test on August 15 by taking his second wicket. He had Sonal Dinusha caught by Jurel for nine.

Padikkal Leads India’s First-Innings Reply

Sri Lanka Cricket XI had declared their first innings at 363/8 on Day 1, with both teams choosing to use the full 90 overs on each of the first two days. Devdutt Padikkal remained unbeaten on 142 after hitting 18 fours in a superb 164-ball innings, leading India’s reply on the second day.

Jadeja, who has returned to the Indian side, made an important 63 and shared 72 runs for the third wicket with Padikkal. Manav Suthar also contributed with the bat, scoring 41 and adding 76 with Jadeja for the sixth wicket.

India’s main batters struggled in the first innings, with Jaiswal falling for a duck in the opening over. Pant made 2 and Jurel was dismissed for 1. Saransh Jain scored 22, while Brar remained unbeaten on 36 as the lower order helped India move beyond 350.

India will now face Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series. The first Test will be played in Galle from August 15, followed by the second Test in Colombo from August 23.

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