Siraj finishes India’s chase with hattrick of sixes vs SLC XI in warmup match

Mohammed Siraj orchestrated a remarkable India's chase, delivering a hat-trick of sixes against Sri Lanka XI in a warm-up match. With merely 23 runs required in the final two overs, the match appeared destined for a draw; however, Siraj's prowess turned the tides. He initiated his onslaught with a six off Sonal Dinusha in the 44th over, followed by a barrage of sixes off Keshara Nuwantha in the decisive 45th over.

Siraj's performance concluded with an impressive 32 runs off 15 balls. Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal had scored 61 runs before being retired hurt. Captain Shubman Gill took over for India in the second innings, scoring an assured 44 runs. The Sri Lankan XI declared their innings after accumulating 200 runs, with Nishan Madushka and Nipun Dhananjaya contributing 63 and 46 runs respectively.

India had set a target of 357 runs for Sri Lanka, with Devdutt Padikkal's 142 runs and Ravindra Jadeja's 63 runs being pivotal contributions. On Day 2, Padikkal posted a stylish century, while Jadeja contributed with 63 runs. Manav Suthar also made a notable contribution with 41 runs off his maiden international assignment. The pitch became increasingly favorable for batting, allowing Padikkal to capitalize on his talent.

Despite KL Rahul's 40 runs, India managed to add 96 runs for the second wicket, with Padikkal's exceptional displays earning him a place in the opening Test squad.