COLOMBO
India won their warm-up cricket match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI by six wickets at the NCC Ground. The game ended in a thrilling way thanks to some big hitting by fast bowler Mohammed Siraj.
Chasing a target of 207 runs, India needed quick runs near the end of the final day. Siraj played like a true hero. He walked to the crease and scored 32 runs not out from only 15 balls. In the last two overs, he shocked everyone with his bat. First, he hit a huge six off Sonal Dinusha. Then, in the final over, he smashed three sixes in a row against bowler Keshara Nuwantha. This amazing finish helped India win the match with three balls left to spare.
Earlier in the day, regular captain Shubman Gill returned to action. Gill missed the first two days after hurting his finger during a practice session. He opened the batting and looked very comfortable at the crease. He scored 44 runs before getting out to a shot against the spin bowler Ramesh Mendis.
Yashasvi Jaiswal also played very well. After failing in the first innings, he bounced back strongly to score a confident 61 runs before choosing to retire hurt so other teammates could get some batting practice. Experienced player Rishabh Pant spent a lot of time trying to settle down and eventually added 28 runs, which included three big sixes. Ravindra Jadeja also chipped in with a quick 22 runs, continuing his great form from the first innings.
Earlier, the Indian bowling attack used the morning moisture well. Bowlers like Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar troubled the home batters with good pace and bounce. Brar picked up two wickets, while Jadeja also grabbed two late wickets to slow down the Sri Lanka scoring rate. Nishan Madushka scored 63 runs for the home team before they declared their second innings at 200 for 6.
This good win gives the Indian team a lot of confidence. They are now fully ready for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The first Test match will start on August 15 at the historic Galle International Stadium. Both the batters and bowlers got great practice.