After a 218 run opening stand in 38 overs from Boyagoda and Lakshan, Sri Lanka survived a late collapse to reach 255 and beat West Indies by 3 wickets with 2 balls remaining to win the Plate final in the ICC U-19 World Cup.
Sri Lankan captain Kamindu Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl but soon regretted his decision as West Indies openers added 50 within seven overs. Bhaskar Yadram struck five early boundaries down the ground and it was only when he tried to take the aerial route that his downfall came, picking out Ashen Bandara at mid on.
His dismissal initiated a slide of 10/3 as slow bowler Praveen Jayawickrama claimed the wickets of Yadram and Kimani Melius on his way to figures of 2/33. But West Indies recovered through Alick Athanaze, who played with great maturity nudging singles and rotating the strike ensuring his strike rate didn’t suffer.
He received stodgy support from Kirstan Kallicharan and Emmanuel Stewart and Brad Barnes, though all three failed to score freely. Sri Lanka bowlers restricted the run flow with accurate bowling and energetic fielding.
Alick Athanaze (110*) struck his second hundred in this tournament to become the highest run-scorer in this tournament so far as West Indies posted 254.
However, it was not enough as Sri Lankan openers Hasitha Boyagoda and Dhananjaya Lakshan played a 218-run stand to lay a great base for the win. Both the batsmen scored at a good rate; however, it was a drinks break that shifted the momentum of the game.
At the stoppage, Sri Lanka were 203/0, needing 52 from 84 balls. Hasitha Boyagoda had passed his hundred, Dhananjaya Lakshan was nearing one of his own. And then it happened. Boyagoda lobbed to Jarion Hoyte to Nyeem Young at mid off. Nishan Madushka was run out, then Jehan Daniel, and then Lakshan, trying to reach his hundred with a boundary and relieve some pressure, was caught at mid-off as well.
Bhaskar Yadram bowled a double wicket maiden, removing Kamindu Mendis and Ashen Bandara made the game closer.
A chipped four to end the 49th over left Sri Lanka with one to win, and seemed to have settled the matter. Three dot balls to start the 50th unsettled it. And then a rushed single, and jubilant celebrations, and the inevitable result finally transpired as Sri Lanka won the Plate final.
Brief Score: Sri Lanka 255/7 (Boyagoda 116, Lakshan 98) beat West Indies 254/5 (Athanaze 110) by three wickets with two balls remaining