Japan Vs Sri Lanka, ICC U-19 World Cup 2026 Highlights: Lankans Register One-Sided Victory By 203 Runs - As It Happened

Good Morning to each and every reader joining us for the Japan Vs Sri Lanka at the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup coverage. This is the start of our live blog, stay tuned for the real-time updates, scores and all the build-up.

Japan won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Sri Lanka: Dimantha Mahavithana, Viran Chamuditha, Dulnith Sigera, Vimath Dinsara(c), Kavija Gamage, Chamika Heenatigala, Aadham Hilmy(w), Sethmika Seneviratne, Rasith Nimsara, Vigneshwaran Akash, Jeewantha Sriram

Japan: Nihar Parmar, Nikhil Pol, Taylor Waugh, Hugo Kelly, Charles Hinze, Kaisei Doggett, Kazuma Kato Stafford(c), Timothy Moore, Chihaya Sekine(w), Gabriel Hara Hinze, Kai Wall

It could have been a fantastic start for Japan had Hara-Hinze held on to an easy catch to dismiss Sri Lankan opener Dimantha for a golden duck. The right-hander played a square cut upfront and the ball arrived at the right height but Japan fumble right away.

Opening batters Dimantha and Viran are in full swing at the moment as the Japanese bowling unit is looking ineffective in powerplay 1 after that dropped catch from Hara-Hinze.

Both the Lankan openers are batting really well. Dimantha is looking exactly like Mahela Jayawardene and Viran has a similar style to that of another legend Sanath Jayasuriya.

What a shot from Viran to end the 9th over from Nikhil as Sri Lanka have had an outstanding 1st powerplay against Japan here.

The 1st powerplay is up and Sri Lanka are well and truly off to a fantastic start. Runs are flowing at the rate of 7.27 and they are all over the Japanese bowlers. Left-handed Viran has scored a superb quick-fire half-century and Dimantha is playing the anchor's role.

Superb display of batting from the Sri Lanka openers as they continue to batter the Japanese bowlers.

Outstanding. Simply outstanding batting from the Sri Lankan openers whose partnership has now gone over 200 runs. Viran Chamuditha is on absolute fire, batting at 135 off 95 at a daunting strike rate of 140+.

His partner Dimantha Mahavithana is keeping it calm and composed, scoring 62 off 81 thus far.

It is going from bad to worse for Japan as Sri Lanka's opening stand has reached to 250 runs. Viran Chamuditha is at 152 and Dimantha Mahavithana is approaching towards his century as well.

Century completed for Dimantha Mahavithana and his strike rate has also gone over 90 now. It is officially the highest first-wicket partnership in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup this term. With 9 overs to go, the Lankans will be hoping to post more than 350 runs.

At last Japan got rid of the Sri Lankan openers after plenty of damage done. Dimantha and Viran stood for a partnership of staggering 328 runs as the duo got out for scores of 115 and 192 respectively.

Dulnith Sigera and skipper Vimath Dinsara are in the crease to see off the final 5 overs.

Skipper Vimath Dinsara is on fire as he is smashing at a strike rate of 157, scoring 30 off 19 so far with less than 2 overs to go. Sri Lanka will try to get as much as they can in the final deliveries.

Sri Lanka posted a mammoth 387/4 after being sent in to bat. Openers Viran Chamuditha (192) and Dimantha Mahavithana (115) decimated the Japanese attack with a record 328-run partnership. Chamuditha narrowly missed a double-century, while skipper Vimath Dinsara added a late 44*.

Despite the onslaught, Japan’s Timothy Moore impressed with 3/43. Japan now requires a monumental 388 runs to win at a rate of 7.76 per over.

The match between India and Bangladesh in the subsequent U-19 match has been halted due to excessive rain in Bulawayo. The Boys in Blue are at 192/6 after 39 overs.

Not the ideal start for the Japanese batting line-up as Nikhil Pol has departed for a two-ball duck. Number 3 batter Hugo Kelly is out in the middle early. It is going to be a tough run-chase for Japan.

Nihar Parmar and Hugo Kelly have settled down the Japanese innings as Sri Lanka look for more wickets in the remaining 4 overs of powerplay.

Extremely slow from the Japan batters and that's how it remain throughout the entire match as well. The asking run-rate is over 8 and the current is much lower than that.

Sri Lanka register two more wickets as Japan struggle to score even 100 runs at the moment.

It's been nearly 20 overs now and Japan still haven't been able to score 100 runs. The chase is almost over as the newcomers are not even getting close to making a recovery.

Hugo Kelly is just 3 runs away from his half-century as Japan try to at least play out the full 50 overs. He is being supported by Taylor Alexander Waugh.

Japan have lost half their side in the quest of a mammoth 388 runs. They still have an uphill task of getting 275 runs more in just 21 wins with only five wickets in hand.

Though Japan have not lost any wickets in the last few years yet their run rate is not in sync with the required one. They would need nothing short of a miracle from here to win this match.

Just a matter of two wickets now for Sri Lanka and they will have their first win of the tournament. The stand out performer for the Japanese unit has been Huge Kelly, who is still not out at 92 off 150.

As expected, Sri Lanka have registered a massive 203-run victory over Japan in their opening ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup match.