SL face India in Youth Asia Cup final

By Madushka Balasuriya

Sri Lanka will be looking to win their first Youth Asia Cup trophy when they take on defending champions India in the final of the Asian Cricket Council Under-19s Asia Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo today. The match, which will begin at 2.30 p.m., will be a day/night affair and see the hosts, who come into the final as firm underdogs, look to avenge their defeat in the group stages.

That defeat saw India secure a comfortable six-wicket victory, one of a series of easy wins for the reigning champions in a tournament that they have dominated since its inception. India have lifted the trophy in the last two tournaments, sharing the spoils in the inaugural Youth Asia Cup with Pakistan in 2012 after a high scoring final ended in a thrilling tie, and going one better in 2014 when they secured a 40-run victory over the same opponents. 

And they will be supremely confident of making it three out of three today; this year’s tournament has seen India dispatch all comers with ease courtesy of a top order firing on all cylinders, while their bowlers have performed with a confidence and self assurance that only an in-form batting line-up can provide. This was exemplified in their 77-run win over Afghanistan in their semifinal clash - the same Afghanistan that had thrilling upset pre-tournament favourites Pakistan in the group stages - thanks to run-a-ball century from opener Himanshu Rana.

Sri Lanka for their part will be hoping that that loss in the group stages, which was played after both teams had qualified for the semi-finals, was nothing but a blip and will be looking at utilising their home ground advantage to the fullest. Sri Lanka’s run to the final has been riddled with inconsistency, highlighted by a one-run victory against minnows Nepal in their opening match. However their semifinal win over Bangladesh saw a better performance from their bowlers, and they will be hoping for more of the same today when they face the in-form batting line-up of the tournament.