ICC U19 World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka register massive 203-run win over Japan

Windhoek [Namibia], January 17 (ANI): A record-breaking knock by Sri Lankan opener Viran Chamuditha has helped his side to clinch a massive 203-run victory over Japan in the 19th fixture of the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 tournament in Windhoek on Saturday.
For his record-breaking 192-run knock, Viran Chamuditha was named Player of the Match. While chasing a huge target of 388 runs, Japan were restricted to 184/8 in 50 overs.
Hugo Kelly was the lone fighter with the bat. Kelly notched up an unbeaten 101 runs off 162 deliveries, including six fours and one six. However, the rest of the batters failed to contribute with the bat as Japan lost the one-sided contest.
For Sri Lanka, Sethmika Seneviratne, Jeewantha Sriram, Viran Chamuditha, Rasith Nimsara, Vigneshwaran Akash, and Chamika Heenatigala scalped one wicket apiece.
Earlier, a mammoth opening stand between Viran Chamudhita and Dimantha Mahavitana helped Sri Lanka set a target of 388 for Japan U-19 in their first match of the 2026 edition.
Viran Chamudhita stitched a massive 328-run opening partnership with Dimantha Mahavitana, which is the highest partnership for any wicket in the tournament's history.
The duo broke the record of England's Dan Lawrence and Jack Burnham, who notched up 303 runs against Fiji in January 2016.
Opener Dimantha Mahavithana played a fantastic knock of 115 runs off 125 deliveries, including 11 fours.
Viran Chamudhita scripted history as he smashed the highest individual score in the ICC U19 World Cup tournament.
The left-handed batter achieved the historic record by smashing 192 runs off just 143 deliveries, which included 26 fours and one six, against Japan in the ICC U19 World Cup 2026 match.
The 17-year-old surpassed his compatriot Hasitha Boyagoda's record of 191 runs off 181 balls, which included 28 fours and two sixes against Kenya U19 in January 2018.
Vimath Dinsara played a blistering, unbeaten knock of 44 runs off 24 deliveries, which included two sixes and one four as Sri Lanka posted 387/4 in 50 overs. For Japan, Timothy Moore scalped three wickets (3/43) in six overs. (ANI)