Zimbabwe Elects to Field First Against Sri Lanka in U19 Cricket World Cup
In the U19 Cricket World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, the latter won the toss and elected to field first. Matthew Schonken, the Zimbabwe captain, expressed his confidence in the team’s spin and pace options and chose to put Sri Lanka in to bat first.
Kohl Eksteen, opening the bowling for Zimbabwe, made an immediate impact by taking a wicket in his very first over. Anesu Kamuriwo, on the other hand, removed the other opener in the fourth over, putting Sri Lanka in a difficult position early in the innings.
Ravishan de Silva and Rusanad Gamage Lead Sri Lanka’s Recovery
Sri Lanka was in need of a recovery, and it came through the partnership of Ravishan de Silva and Rusanad Gamage. The duo held the innings together, adding 54 runs over the next 21.1 overs, stabilizing the Sri Lankan innings. Despite their efforts, the Zimbabwe bowlers maintained discipline to prevent a significant momentum shift in Sri Lanka’s favor.
However, Panashe Taruvinga managed to break through the partnership in the 26th over, dismissing Gamage with a well-directed delivery. This wicket put Zimbabwe back in control of the match. Ryan Simbi then accounted for the crucial wicket of Ravishan de Silva in the 31st over, further solidifying Zimbabwe’s advantage.
Dinura Kalupahana’s Fighting Innings Keeps Sri Lanka Afloat
Dinura Kalupahana displayed determination and initiative, adding crucial runs in the middle overs for Sri Lanka. With support from Sharujan Shanmuganathan, he contributed to a 6th wicket partnership that added 80 runs from 72 balls. However, Kalupahana’s dismissal to Schonken marked a turning point in the innings, causing Sri Lanka to lose momentum and eventually getting bowled out for 204 runs.
Zimbabwe’s Batting Struggles Against Sri Lanka’s Spin Prowess
As Zimbabwe began their innings, they faced a challenging task against Sri Lanka’s spin bowlers. Vishwa Lahiru, in an impressive opening spell, conceded only two runs in his first four overs and claimed the first wicket for Sri Lanka. Malsha Tharupathi then contributed by taking a sharp catch off Kalupahana and producing the second wicket for Sri Lanka. Inclement weather interrupted play with Zimbabwe at 30/3 after 13.2 overs.
For live updates and a detailed scorecard of the match, you can visit the official ICC Cricket website by clicking here.
Stay tuned for further developments in this captivating encounter as both teams strive for victory in the U19 Cricket World Cup.
