Dunith Wellalage was again the star for Sri Lanka as he took a five-fer and scored 52 to guide his side to a four-wicket victory over Australia in the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The Lions came out on top in the tussle between the two unbeaten teams in Group D, with no Australian able to match Wellalage in Basseterre.
And, Pakistan showed their batting strength as they played their opening game in Group C in Trinidad and Tobago, putting on 315 thanks to a Haseebullah Khan century.
Zimbabwe fell 116 runs short in the chase despite an 83–run eighth-wicket partnership between Brian Bennett and Tendekai Mataranyika.
Wellalage stars again as Sri Lanka cruise to victory over Australia
Australia struggled to build partnerships having been put in to bat by Sri Lanka, their highest stand coming between Campbell Kellaway and Nivethan Radhakrishnan as they put on 46 for the fourth wicket.
Kellaway was Australia’s top scorer with 54 runs from 77 balls as the three-time champions slumped to 175 all out off the final ball of their innings.
The last three wickets fell for eight runs as Wellalage produced his second double-wicket over of the match, as he also claimed his second five-fer of the World Cup.
This time the slow left-armer went for one more run than against Scotland to return figures of 5-28, which sees him five clear in the early race to top the wicket standings.
In reply, Sri Lanka kept above the required run rate but were consistently pegged back by the Australian quicks.
Tom Whitney and William Salzmann took Sri Lanka’s second and third wickets in the space of three balls to reduce them to 41 for three in their chase of 176.
Wellalage again helped to steady the ship, this time with bat in hand, putting on a 70-run partnership with Anjala Bandara, before Bandara was dismissed sending an outside edge into the hands of wicketkeeper Tobias Snell.
Sri Lanka’s captain continued on to his half-century, coming off 69 balls and featuring four fours and one six.
With the Lions requiring just five runs, it seemed that Wellalage would steer the team home but he was dismissed caught and bowled by Whitney and it was left to Raveen De Silva to hit the winning runs as Sri Lanka emerged the only unbeaten team in Group D.
Haseebullah posts highest score of World Cup so far in Pakistan win
Pakistan’s opener Haseebullah put on the highest score of the tournament so far with 135 from 155 balls as he and Irfan Khan combined for a 192-run third-wicket partnership.
Irfan was forced to go for 81 from 77 balls, including eight fours, after being caught by David Bennett off the bowling of Mcgini Dube.
Zimbabwe continued the fightback, led by right-arm seamer Alex Falao, who took the wicket of Haseebullah on his way to five for 58 as Pakistan ended with 315 for nine.
The Chevrons had already produced a score higher than this against Papua New Guinea in their opening game of Group C but faltered in this chase.
Matthew Welch and Steven Saul combined at the top of the order to put on 34 for the first wicket.
The next six wickets fell for 77 runs before a timely partnership of 83 runs between Bennett and Mataranyika gave Zimbabwe a glimmer of hope.
But with Bennett’s dismissal they were left needing 121 runs with only 58 balls remaining, Mataranyika followed his partner back to the hutch two balls later before the final wicket of Mcgini Dube fell to hand Pakistan a convincing 115-run victory.
Matches on Tuesday January 18:
England v Canada, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis
South Africa v Uganda, Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago
Afghanistan v PNG, Diego Martin Sporting Complex, Trinidad and Tobago
Start time 09:00h (ICC)
