U19 Asia Cup 2024: Sri Lanka U19 beat Afghanistan U19 by 54 Runs, Sharujan Shanmuganathan wins Player of the Match

Add as a preferred source on Google

Sri Lanka U19 registered a commanding 55-run win against Nepal U19 in their Group A fixture of the ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup 2024 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on November 29.

Sharujan Shanmuganathan starred with the knock of 62 and collected man of the match award while Lakvin Abeysinghe scored 50 too. Afghan batter Faisal Khan Shinozada threatened to win the match with a knock of 58 but Praveen Maneesha (3/30) and Vihas Thewmika (2/51) took crucial top-order wickets to seal the win for the Lankans.

Chasing a target of 234, Nepal faltered against a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack, folding for 178 in 46.1 overs.

Nepal began their chase with promise, with openers Aakash Tripathi and Mayan Yadav putting up a steady start. Tripathi's dismissal for 19 by Mathulan Kugathas opened the floodgates. Mayan Yadav anchored the innings with a valiant 63, but lacked support from the other end.

Santosh Yadav's brief knock of 10 and a late cameo from Uttam Magar (17) weren't enough to steer Nepal closer to the target. Praveen Maneesha shone with figures of 3/30, including the key wicket of Yadav, while Newton Ranjithkumar's late double strike sealed the game for Sri Lanka.

Earlier, Sri Lanka posted 233 in 50 overs, with Sharujan Shanmuganathan (62) and Lakvin Abeysinghe (50) leading the charge. The pair's steady contributions laid the foundation, but a middle-order collapse threatened to derail their innings. Kavija Gamage's gritty 37 ensured Sri Lanka reached a competitive total despite Nepal's Santosh Yadav claiming a superb 4/30.

The sluggish pitch made stroke play challenging, forcing the batters to adopt a cautious approach. Nepal's spinners controlled the middle overs, but Sri Lanka's batting depth ensured a respectable finish.

With this victory, Sri Lanka secured valuable points in the group stage, while Nepal will need to regroup ahead of their next match. The standout performances by Maneesha and Shanmuganathan underlined Sri Lanka's balance as they push for a strong campaign in the tournament.