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| Sunday, 15 December 2002 |
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Sri Lanka U-15 plays Pakistan today by SHIRAJIV SIRIMANE Sri Lanka under-15 cricket team will play their opening match of the Under-15 Youth Asia Cup 2002 cricket tournament when they encounter Pakistan at the Sharjah Stadium, today (Sunday) 10.30 local time. The team coach Sunil Fernando said that his team was confident that they could make an impact in today's match. "We have been given a very strong team and we will go all out to win this match", he said. He said that though the team is under-15 years of age, 90% of the players are playing in the first XI Matches. "This is clear indication that though the team is young they have talent". The coach said that they emerged victorious in the three practice matches played against leading school teams in Colombo. He predicted that players like Angelo Mathew (captain) Sameera Soysa (wicket-keeper) and Lahiru Peiris will be the key batsmen while Malinda Pushpakumara, Shalika Karunaranayake should impress in the bowling. The manager of the team Jayantha Seneviratne said that rain in Sri Lanka robbed them of around four further scheduled practice matches. "We have not seen the strength of the Pakistan team but I am confident that the Sri Lanka team will give a good fight." The first round matches involving Oman, UAE, Maldives, Hong Kong, Thailand in Group 'A' and Malaysia, Nepal, Kuwait, Singapore in Group 'B' have been already being completed. The second stage will see the four Test playing countries, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, entering the fray from today. The second round league tournament will be on a 50 over basis in two groups of four teams each Sri Lanka has been drawn up in the Group 'A' with Pakistan while India and Bangladesh are in Group 'B'. Four teams each from the first round (yet to be announced) will be selected to play in the second round with the four Test playing countries. Two top teams from the each will be drawn up for the semi-finals while the winners will play in the finals. The semi-finals will be played on December 20 while the final will be played on 22 December. The Emirates Cricket Board under the auspices of the Asian Cricket Council is conducting the event after a lapse of several years. |
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