The u19 Cricket World Cup kicked off in Namibia and Zimbabwe over the weekend with Sri Lanka leading the way with some record breaking performances.
At the FNB Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek, Sri Lanka thrashed Japan by 203 runs on Saturday to take the lead in Group A, after a brilliant opening partnership of 328 runs between Viran Chamuditha and Dimantha Mahavithana.
Chamuditha scored 192 off 143 balls to set a new record for the highest individual score in the tournament’s history, breaking the previous record of compatriot Hasitha Boyagoda by one run.
Mahavithana scored 115 off 125 balls, while their huge partnership was the highest for any wicket in the tournament’s history, surpassing the previous record of 303 that Dan Lawrence and Jack Burnham set for England in 2016.
Vimath Dinsara added 44 not out as Sri Lanka reached 387/4, which was way out of reach for Japan. They eventually reached 184/8, built on a great century by Hugo Tani-Kelly, who’se 101 not out made him the first Japanese player to score a century at the u19 World Cup.
That commanding victory put Sri Lanka at the top of Group A, ahead of Australia on nett run rate, after the Aussies comfortably beat Ireland by eight wickets on Friday.
After being sent in to bat, Ireland reached 235/7, with Robert O’ Brien scoring 79 and Freddie Ogilby 49, while Charles Lachmund took three wickets for 41 runs.
Australia comfortably reached the target with more than 10 overs to spare, after a 186-run second wicket partnership between Nitesh Samuel (77 not out) and Steve Hogan who reached his century before being dismissed for 115 off 111 balls.
India took the early lead in Group B after winning their opening two matches in Bulawayo. On 15 January they beat the United States by six wickets on the DLS method, dismissing the USA for 107, with Henil Patel taking five wickets for 16 runs, and then reaching 99/4 with Abhigyan Kundu scoring 42 not out.
On Saturday they beat Bangladesh by 18 runs on the DLS method in another rain delayed match.
India were all out for 238, with Kundu scoring 80 and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 72, while Al Fahad took 5/38 for Bangladesh.
In reply Bangladesh were all out for 146, with Azizul Tamin scoring 51, and Vihaan Malhotra taking 4/14.
England took the lead in Group C after winning their opening two matches.
On 16 January they beat Pakistan by 37 runs, after posting 210, with Caleb Falconer scoring 66, and then dismissing Pakistan for 173, with Farhan Yousaf scoring 65, while Alex Green, James Minto and Ralphie Albert each took two wickets.
Yesterday, England comfortably beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets, with 22 overs in hand.
Zimbabwe scored 208/9 (Simbarashe Mudzengerere 45 not out, Manny Lumsden 3/38), while England replied with 209/2 (Thomas Rew 86 not out, Ben Mayes 77 not out).
Afghanistan took the lead after winning their opening two matches in impressive style.
On Saturday they beat South Africa by 28 runs with Faizal Khan scoring 81 and Khalid Ahmadzai 74 in their total of 266/8, while Cornelius Botha and Bayanda Majola each topok three wickets.
In reply, South Africa were all out for 238, with Jason Rowles scoring 98 while Khatir Stanikzai and Abdul Khan each took two wickets.
Yesterday, Afghanistan thumped the West Indies by 138 runs, after scoring 262/6 (Osman Sadat 88, Mehboob Taskin 86) and then dismissing the Windies for 124 with Nooristani Omarzai taking 4/16.
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