ICC U-19 World Cup: Hasitha Boyagoda’s Record Knock Fires Sri Lanka To Plate Semifinal
Nov 2, 2023 at 4:20 PM
An under-19 world record score of 191 from Hasitha Boyagoda fired Sri Lanka to a mammoth 311-run win over Kenya in the plate quarterfinal on Tuesday (January 23). The Islanders piled up a staggering 419/4 in their allotted 50 overs before bowling out the African country for a paltry 108 to make it to the plate semi-final.
Openers Dhananjaya Lakshan and Boyagoda gave Sri Lanka a solid start by sharing an 87-run stand before Aveet Desai dismissed the former for 29. The wicket, however, did not change Kenya’s fortunes as Boyagoda and Nishan Madushka laid the foundation for a huge innings with a 134-run partnership. The huge stand was broken when Madushka was sent back by Abhishekh Chidambaram for 60.
Boyagoda was looking destined to score the first double century in under-19 cricket but fell just nine runs short when he fell to Rene Were as early as the 45th over. His monumental knock came off just 152 balls and was studded with 28 fours and a couple of sixes.
With the platform set, Kamindu Mendis and Nuwanidu Fernando went all out in the last five overs to propel Sri Lanka to a massive total. Mendis scored 53 off just 21 balls with the help of 3 fours and four sixes while Fernando smashed 35 off just 18 as the duo shared an unbeaten partnership of 80 runs to help Sri Lanka post 419 in the allotted 50 overs.
The writing was very much on the wall for Kenya, and Sri Lanka did not take long to seal the African country’s fate. Barring Thomas Ochieng, who scored 45, none of the Kenyan batsmen could cross the 20-run mark as they were folded up for just 108 in the 36th over. Hareen Buddhila was the star of the show with the ball, picking up 4 for 27 as Sri Lanka comfortably qualified for the plate semi-final.
Brief score:
Sri Lanka 419 for 4 (Boyagoda 191, Mendis 53 ) beat Kenya 108 for 10 (Ochieng 45, Buddhila 4-27) by 311 runs.