Sri Lanka’s Under-19 cricket team made a strong start in the Asian Under-19 One-Day International Cricket Championship, defeating Nepal by 55 runs in their opening match. The match, held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on November 29, marked a promising beginning for the team in the prestigious tournament.
Sri Lanka, batting first, posted a competitive total of 233 runs in 50 overs. Sharujan Shammuganathan top-scored with 62 runs, while Lakwin Abeysinghe contributed a solid 50. Despite the challenging conditions, Sri Lanka’s total proved too much for Nepal.
In response, Nepal’s batting line-up struggled. Although opener Mayank Yadav fought hard with 62 runs, the Nepalese team was bowled out for 178 runs in 46.2 overs, falling short by 55 runs. Sri Lanka’s bowlers were in excellent form, with Praveen Manisha leading the charge by taking 3 wickets for 30 runs. Newton Ranjithkumar (2/17), Kugadas Mathulan (2/21), and captain Vihas Thewmika (2/51) also made significant contributions, each claiming two wickets.
Sharujan Shammuganathan was named the Man of the Match for his all-round performance, including his crucial half-century.
In the other match of the day, Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by 45 runs. The tournament, featuring eight teams, is divided into two divisions, ‘A’ and ‘B’. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are placed in the ‘B’ division. Sri Lanka’s next match is against Bangladesh, scheduled for December 1 at 10:00 AM local time, with the game set to begin at 10:30 AM.
