In a game that was decided by a captains shoot out, Sri Lanka A skipper Sadeera Samarawickrama won over his opposite number Afghanistan A skipper, Darwish Rasooli to outgunning his opponent’s mammoth 155 by a workmanlike unbeaten 129 off 110 balls to reaching 249 for 6 wickets in 41.3 overs to overrunning Afghanistan’s 248 for 8 in 50 overs to registering back to back wins on Tuesday at the Abu Dhabi Tri Series at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. It marked Samarawickrama’s maiden international century.
Samarawickrama, a big time top flight Sri Lanka batsman who has been battling a form rut, produced a high class innings sword edged by 16 boundaries and 2 sixes to underlining his grain falling a drop in form from a promising entry to the big time test cricket firmament in the pivotal No.3 slot.
Earlier, Afghanistan, taking first lease on the luck of the coin, had prospered from the early loss of 3 wickets for 4 runs following double strikes by Lankan pace bowler Dilshan Madushanka and Mohamed Shiraz one wicket after skipper Rasooli rescued the side rattling 155 in a crescendo of 8 strokes to the stands and similar number of fours.
Madushanka returned a lively take of 4 wickets at a cost of 37 runs with Mohamed Shiraz complementing with 2 wickets.
But that high drama was to be short lived as the Sri Lankan captain came to the party all guns blazing. His effort was well buttressed by a near run a ball 81 by opening batsman Lahiru Udara who hit 12 boundaries.
Ireland is the other team in the fray.
CHIEF SCORES:
Bangladesh A 248/8 (50 Overs)
(Darwish Rasooli 155, Ijaz Ahmad 35, Ikram Alikhil 32, Dilshan Madushanka 4/37, Mohamed Shiraz 2/43, Dushan Hemantha 1/40)
Sri Lanka A 249/4 (41.3 Overs)
(Sadeera Samarawickrama 129, Lahiru Udara 81, Sahan Arachchige 23, Khalil Ahmed 2/51, Qais Ahmad 1/39, Sharafuddin Ashraf 1/50)