Sri Lanka under-19 lose Youth World Cup quarter-final to Pakistan

Sri Lanka under-19, which had been a spirited team in the tournament, being the table leaders in the Group ‘D’, lost the important quarter-final match by a massive 121 runs against Pakistan at Sharjah yesterday.

Lanka Youth, set 280-run target, collapsed to 158 in 42.3 overs showing a pathetic batting display with two disastrous run outs in the early stage of the innings. Sadeera Samarawickrama, who made 207 in the tournament, hit his third fifty when three top order wickets fell around him.

Last match’s centurion Hashan Dumindu was clean bowled for a first ball duck off Zia-ul-Haq in Lankan innings first ball. Skipper Kusal Mendis fell for 1 runs after a disastrous run out when the total was at 10. Hashen Ramanayake followed with another run out sending Lankans in deep trouble.

Two St Joseph’s College batsmen Samarawickrama and Priyamal Perera put on a 59-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Samarawickrama, the fifth batsman in the leading scorers list, got out for 51 hitting four boundaries. Perera smashed 68 off 81 balls including seven fours and the solitary six of the innings. Lankans were reeling and were bowled out for 158.

Batting first, Pakistan top order laid a solid batting display scoring three half tons top three batters. Imam-ul-Haq became the leading run-scorer for his 342 runs with 85.50 average. Right hander hit 82 and fellow opener Sami Aslam scored 95.

One drop Kamran Ghulam belted 52 off 44. Binura Fernando scalped for wickets, and came second in the leading wicket takers’ list having captured 10 after India Under-19’s Kuldeep Yadev’s 11.

Pakistan under-19: 279-9 in 50 overs (Sami Aslam 95, Imam-ul-Haq 82, Kamran Ghulam 52, Zafar Gohar 17, Hasan Raza 12, Binura Fernando 4-56, Anuk Fernando 2-45).

Sri Lanka under-19: 158 all out in 42.3 overs (Priyamal Perera 68, Sadeera Samarawickrama 51, Hashen Ramanayake 12, Kamran Ghulam 2-19, Zia-ul-Haq 2-36, Zafar Gohar 2-39, Karamat Ali 2-41).