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Heenatigala's all-round brilliance helps SL U19 beat AFG U19 to qualify for Asia Cup semis

Umesh Sharma

Sri Lanka U19 beat Afghanistan U19 by two wickets (Source: X/ACB) Sri Lanka U19 beat Afghanistan U19 by two wickets (Source: X/ACB) 

Sri Lanka U19 defeated the Afghanistan U19 by a narrow margin of two wickets in the thrilling game of the ongoing U19 Asia Cup 2025. With a win in this nail-biting contest, the Islanders have also sealed a spot in the semi-finals of the tournament's current edition Both teams locked horns in the seventh game of the tournament, at the ICC Academy in Dubai. 

Afghanistan U19 skipper Mahboob Khan won the toss and asked his batters to take charge. Batting first, the Afghans faced an early blow, losing Khalid Ahmadzai (6) at the team score of just nine runs in 2.5 overs. Following an early blow, Osman Sadat and Faisal Shinozada stitched a stabilizing partnership of 75 runs for the second wicket. 

Sri Lanka's collective bowling efforts restrict Afghanistan 

Chamika Heenatigala broke this partnership, dismissing Shinozada at the individual score of 39 runs off 63 balls, with four fours. Furthermore, opener Osman Sadat added another crucial partnership of 41 runs with Uzairullah Niazai (25). Sadat’s knock came to an end on the fourth ball of the 34th over; he was caught by Withanapathirana off Heenatigala at the individual score of 52 runs off 87 balls, with a four and a six. 

Later in the innings, skipper Mahboob Khan contributed with a 25-run knock followed by Azizullah Miakhil’s 25-ball 31 and Nooristani Omarzai’s 29 runs off just 19 balls to help Afghanistan U19 post 235 runs in the allotted 50 overs. 

Sethmika Seneviratne and Dulnith Sigera scalped three wickets each for SL U19, alongside two wickets each picked by Rasith Nimsara and Heenatigala. The collective bowling efforts of the Sri Lanka bowlers restricted Afghanistan to a below-par total in the entire 50 overs. 

Heenatigala takes Sri Lanka home with resilient rescue-knock 

Sri Lanka U19 had a strong start while chasing the 236-run target as the openers, Dimantha Mahavithana and Viran Chamuditha added 55 runs for the first wicket before the former fell prey to Nooristani Omarzai, at the individual score of 28 runs off 30 balls, with four fours and a six. His dismissal was followed by another quick blow within next five runs as SL U19 lost Kithma Withanapathirana (4) to Uzairullah Niazi in a caught and bowled. 

Then came a game-changing partnership of 64 runs between Chamuditha and Kavija Gamage for the fourth wicket, with the latter’s dismissal after 34-run knock marked the end of this partnership in the 26th over. Furthermore, Chamuditha went on to play the match-defining knock of 62 runs off 83 balls, with three fours and two sixes. 

All-rounder Heenatigala’s valiant half-century (51 runs off 57 balls) and winning boundary finally sealed the game for SL U19 after their middle-order fumbled against the Afghan bowling attack. Eventually, Heenatigala half-century, with support of Dulnith Sigera’s 19-ball 22 helped SL U19 cross the line in 49.2 overs, scoring 238 runs for the loss of eight wickets and win the game by a thrilling margin of just two wickets. 

Heenatigala won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his all-round excellence both with the bat and ball to help his side win the game. With this win, SL U19 have also maintained their dominance at the top of the table in the Group B standings of the tournament.