Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made an immediate impact with the ball as India began their three-day warm-up match against the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) XI at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo on Friday, August 7. The left-arm spinner struck on Day 1 to remove Pasindu Sooriyabandara, handing India a much-needed breakthrough after the hosts enjoyed a solid start.
Jadeja’s first wicket of the match came in the 41st over of the SLC XI innings. Bowling a full delivery around the off stump, he outfoxed Sooriyabandara, who attempted to rock back and pull the ball across the line. The delivery skidded on quicker than expected, sneaked past the bat, and crashed into the stumps. The stylish dismissal ended a promising innings from the right-hander, who scored 35 runs off 63 deliveries with the help of six boundaries.
The wicket reduced the SLC XI to 171/2 after 40.4 overs and gave India renewed momentum after struggling to break the hosts’ partnerships earlier in the day.
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Earlier, Sri Lanka Cricket XI won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Nishan Madushka and Ravindu Rasantha laid a strong platform with a 110-run opening stand. Madushka looked in excellent touch before being run out in the 21st over after scoring a fluent 65 from 66 balls, including 11 fours and a six.
Right on the money. 💥
Ravindra Jadeja sticks to his line and gets his reward. 👏
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Rasantha then stitched together another valuable partnership with Sooriyabandara, adding 61 runs for the second wicket before Jadeja produced his moment of brilliance. Rasantha continued to anchor the innings and eventually made 71 off 143 deliveries, striking six fours and a six, before left-arm spinner Manav Suthar dismissed him in the 50th over.
Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar also entered the wickets column by removing Pavan Rathnayake, who played an entertaining knock of 39 from 47 balls, featuring three fours and two sixes.
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At the tea interval on Day 1, the SLC XI had reached 246/4 in 59.3 overs, with Ahan Wickramasinghe unbeaten on 27. The warm-up fixture serves as India’s only red-ball preparation ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins in Galle on August 15.
