Cricket
Chamuditha Century Powers Sri Lanka U19 Past South Africa, Keeps Semi-Final Hopes Alive
Viran Chamuditha produced a match-winning century as Sri Lanka Under-19 secured a crucial five-wicket victory over South Africa Under-19 in their Super Six encounter of the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, played in Bulawayo on Tuesday.

The victory keeps Sri Lanka firmly in contention for a semi-final berth, delivering a timely boost as the tournament enters its decisive phase.
After winning the toss, South Africa opted to bat first and posted a competitive 261 for 7 from their 50 overs. Opener Jorich Van Schalkwyk anchored the innings with a composed 116 off 130 deliveries, striking 13 fours and two sixes while holding the innings together after early pressure.
Adnaan Lagadien provided support with a steady 46, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers ensured South Africa were unable to fully capitalise. Left-arm seamer Vigneshwaran Akash led the attack with an impressive spell, finishing with 4 for 46, removing key batters at crucial stages. Chamika Heenatigala delivered a disciplined performance, conceding just 29 runs in his 10 overs, while Kavija Gamage chipped in with two wickets to restrict South Africa in the latter overs.
In reply, Sri Lanka produced a controlled and confident chase, driven by opener Viran Chamuditha, who displayed maturity and composure beyond his years. Chamuditha dominated the bowling attack with a superb 110 off 94 balls, laced with 13 boundaries and a six, keeping Sri Lanka comfortably ahead of the required rate.
After the early dismissal of Dimantha Mahavithana, Chamuditha found strong support from Senuja Wekunagoda, who contributed a valuable 48, as the pair laid a solid foundation for the chase. Although wickets fell during the middle overs, Sri Lanka maintained control of the contest.
Captain Vimath Dinsara added a brisk 32, while Chamika Heenatigala and Dulnith Sigera showed calm heads in the closing stages to guide Sri Lanka home. The target was reached in the 46th over, with Sri Lanka finishing on 265 for 5, sealing victory with four overs to spare.
The result keeps Sri Lanka Under-19’s semi-final ambitions alive as they look to build further momentum in the Super Six stage of the tournament.
Brief Scores
South Africa Under-19s 261/7 (50 overs)
Jorich Van Schalkwyk 116, Adnaan Lagadien 46
Vigneshwaran Akash 4/46, Kavija Gamage 2/61
Sri Lanka Under-19s 265/5 (46 overs)
Viran Chamuditha 110, Senuja Wekunagoda 48
Corne Botha 2/37, Michael Kruiskamp 2/59
Cricket
Online Abuse Targets Sri Lanka A Cricketer After Match Incident
Sri Lanka A player Vishen Halambage has reportedly become the latest victim of online harassment after a match-related confrontation with India A batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi sparked widespread discussion on social media.
The incident occurred during Sri Lanka A’s dramatic Super Over triumph over India A in the Tri-Nation Series on Monday. Footage showing a tense exchange between the two young cricketers quickly spread across social media platforms, drawing significant attention from cricket fans.
Following the match, Halambage’s Instagram account was flooded with critical and abusive messages, with many comments reportedly originating from social media users reacting to the on-field altercation. Unverified reports also suggested that individuals connected to the player were subjected to online harassment.
By Tuesday, Halambage’s Instagram profile appeared to be inaccessible. While some reports indicated that the account may have been blocked or restricted after receiving numerous complaints, the exact reason remains unclear. Neither the player nor Instagram has publicly commented on the matter.
The episode has once again brought attention to the growing issue of online abuse in sport, where athletes particularly younger players can face intense backlash following high-profile incidents. Sports analysts and observers have repeatedly called for greater efforts to curb harassment on digital platforms and promote responsible fan engagement.
The match itself ended in a memorable victory for Sri Lanka A, but the events that followed have shifted attention toward the challenges athletes face beyond the boundary ropes.
Cricket
Sri Lanka A prevail in Super Over thriller as tempers flare after dramatic finish
Sri Lanka A held their nerve to defeat India A in a thrilling Super Over contest in the One-Day Tri-Series in Dambulla, but the dramatic finish was overshadowed by a heated post-match confrontation involving Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Vishen Halambage.
After both teams finished level on 265, Sri Lanka A posted 16 runs in the Super Over through aggressive contributions from Avishka Fernando and captain Sahan Arachchige. India A, chasing 17, were restricted to just nine runs as young pacer Kugathas Mathulan delivered under pressure to seal a memorable victory.
The match had already produced plenty of late drama. India A’s Arshad Khan conceded only four runs in the final over of Sri Lanka’s chase when five were required for victory, forcing the contest into a Super Over as fading light added to the tension. Despite concerns over visibility and a scheduled cut-off time, officials allowed play to continue.
Emotions spilled over moments after the Super Over ended. Visuals showed Sri Lanka’s Vishen Halambage and Wanuja Sahan exchanging words with the departing Indian batters. Suryansh Shedge appeared to point his bat towards Halambage before Sooryavanshi turned back and confronted the Sri Lankan player. The exchange quickly escalated, with the two players shoving each other before wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella stepped in to separate them and calm tempers.
Earlier, India A recovered from 125 for 6 thanks to Suryansh Shedge’s 72 and Vipraj Nigam’s 51 to post 265. Sri Lanka A’s chase was anchored by Sadeera Samarawickrama’s superb 93, which kept them in contention before a dramatic final-over finish and eventual Super Over triumph completed a remarkable contest.
Cricket
West Indies edge Sri Lanka to clinch series
West Indies held their nerve in a tense chase to defeat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the final T20I and seal the series at home on Sunday.
Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a competitive 169 all out in their allotted 20 overs after several batsmen made useful contributions. Opener Pathum Nissanka provided an early spark with 26 off 17 balls, while Kamil Mishara added 28 and Kamindu Mendis struck 20.
The innings was anchored by all-rounder Dunith Wellalage, whose aggressive 43 from 28 deliveries, featuring six boundaries and a six, lifted Sri Lanka during the closing stages. Wanindu Hasaranga also chipped in with a brisk 21 off 13 balls.
However, Sri Lanka lost wickets at crucial intervals and were unable to fully capitalize on a promising platform. Fast bowler Shamar Joseph starred for the hosts, claiming 5 for 33 in a match-winning spell. He received solid support from Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein and Roston Chase, who shared the remaining wickets.
Chasing 170, West Indies suffered an early setback when captain Shai Hope fell for a duck. Sri Lanka tightened their grip further by reducing the hosts to 53 for 4, with Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana applying pressure through the middle overs.
Shimron Hetmyer counterattacked with 32 off 19 balls before Rovman Powell contributed a valuable 33. The decisive partnership came through Sherfane Rutherford and Holder.
Rutherford remained unbeaten on 54 from 40 deliveries, striking three fours and four sixes, while Holder blasted an unbeaten 21 from just five balls, including three towering sixes.
West Indies reached 170 for 5 with two balls to spare, completing a memorable victory and securing the series after a hard-fought contest between the two sides.
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