The Sri Lanka under-19 batsmen gave a resilient performance on the last day of their second and final youth Test against hosts Bangladesh, to draw the match and end the series on a stalemate of 0-0.
Sri Lanka required a comeback performance in the second innings at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna, after Bangladesh posted 354 in reply to their first innings score of 184 – a lead of 170.
Sri Lankan captain Nipun Dhananjaya led the side from front in the second innings, top scoring with 81. He received good support from overnight batsman Lakshan Gamage in the morning, as the duo took the score to 255 after resuming on 187/5. At that point, Gamage was dismissed for 45.
Next batsman Dulith Wellalage continued the resistance, scoring 45 runs and taking the team score to 337, when Dhananjaya was finally dismissed. After scoring 342 and establishing a lead of 172 runs, Sri Lanka declared with very little time left in the day. Bangladesh had scored 37 runs and lost three wickets when the match ended.
Off-spinner Ashraful Islam was the top wicket-taker for Bangladesh in Sri Lanka’s second innings, picking up three. Bangladesh seamer Shahin Alam was adjudged man-of-the-match for taking seven wickets in the first innings.
The first match of the five-match Youth ODI series will take place at the same venue on November 9.
