/images/ppid_59c68470-image-178152003710821462.webp)
After bowling out India A for 265, Sri Lanka A were off to a flier in the chase with their opening pair Avishka Fernando and Niroshan Dickwella dealing in boundaries. The start was in part thanks to them benefitting to a couple of infringes made by India A’s Vipraj Nigam due to which the hosts began their innings at 10/0 even before the first ball was bowled.
Nigam, who walked in at no. 9 following the dismissal of Anukul Roy, twice ran in the middle of the pitch – once while taking a single off the third delivery of 35th over (34.3) and then on the fourth delivery of the 37th over.
He was warned by the on-field umpire, but the second breach resulted in 10 runs being awarded to Sri Lanka A.
While Sri Lanka A innings began at 10/0, effectively it
was 5/0.
Why?
Because earlier in the India A innings, the visitors were also beneficiary of five penalty runs. A wide delivery from Kugathas Mathulan struck the helmet kept behind the wicketkeeper in the 16th over.
Shedge, Nigam Revive India A
Put in to bat first, India A suffered a batting collapse and at one stage were reeling at 143/7 in 32.1 overs. After losing openers early, captain Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad stitched a solid partnership, but they exited in quick succession with India A innings falling apart.
Shedge and Nigam then stitched a century stand for the 9th wicket to lift them to 266-all out. Shedge top-scored with 72 off 66 with the help of three fours and two sixes while Nigam recorded his maiden List A fifty, hitting 51 off 49 (six fours).
