UNB, Sylhet :
Sri Lanka crushed inexperienced Canada by 196 runs in their first match of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup at Sylhet District Stadium on Thursday.
Replying to a formidable score of 315, Canada finished the innings at 155 for all in 39.2 overs.
Topscorer Arslan Khan hit an unbeaten 42 off 71 balls featuring four boundaries. Bhavindu Adhihetty scored 22 off 33 balls with three boundaries while Akash Gill added 17 off 27 deliveries with one boundary.
Skipper Abraash Khan, a 17-year-old Pakistan-born-Canadian, who is the only experienced players in youth ODI, scored 15 off 21 balls with two boundaries to be another double digit scorer.
Damitha Silva captured two wickets for 16 runs in six overs. Delivering seven overs each, Asitha Fernando, Thilan Nimesh and Lahiru Kumara took two wickets apiece conceding 19, 19 and 22 runs. Kamindu Mendis and Wanidu de Silva took one wicket each for four and 19 runs.
Batting first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka piled up a brilliant 315 for 6 in 50 overs spurred by the 3rd and 5th partnership figures of 109 and 92.
Skipper Charith Asalanka and opener Kaveen Bandara paired in the third wicket for
109 runs in 18.5 overs to carry the team total to 153/3 in 28.4 overs from 44/2 in 9.5 overs.
Asalanka who was adjudged man of the match, hit the highest 76 off 69 balls featuring nine boundaries and was caught by Kurt Ramdath off Miraj Patel.
Shammu Ashan and Vishad de Silva paired in the 5th wicket for 92 in 14.3 overs. The 5th pair ended up at 261/5 in 46.1 overs.
Ashan continued till the end for his unbeaten 74 off 61 balls featuring three four and three sixes.
Opener Bandara was run out scoring 61 off 84 balls with four boundaries while PVR de Silva scored 51off 47 balls involving four boundaries and one six.
Wanidu de Silva scored 28 off 13 balls with three fours and two sixes while Avishka Fernando (16 off 23b; 1×4) was another double digit scorer for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka started off their innings quite smartly as their opening pair between Bandara and Fernando stayed for 44 runs in 9.1 overs.
