Sri Lanka will also play three one-dayers against South Africa after the triangular.

The team is led by Avishka Fernando of St. Sebastian College, Moratuwa with Kamindu Mendis of Richmond College, Galle as his deputy. The team includes a mixture of experienced and junior players.

“We are going to South Africa for the first time that is why we are taking 16 players,” said team coach Roy Dias.

“We know there are fast pitches in South Africa that’s why we have included five fast bowlers in our team. This is a good chance for our players to learn how to bat and bowl on fast pitches,” he said.

“We have another one year for the Youth World Cup. We have planned to include more players to our squad after this tour,” Dias said.

“We have well balanced team, we hope to play better and our aim is to win the matches. We have the best players who played in the Asian Championship. I represented the national team and I like to share my experiences with the team,” Sri Lanka under 19 team captain Avishka Fernando said.

Sri Lanka Under 19 squad:

Avishka Fernando (Captain) – St. Sebastian’s College, Kamindu Mendis (Vice-Captain) – Richmond College, Sammu Ashan – Ananda College, Ashen Bandara – St. Aloysius’ College, Jehan Daniel – St. Joseph’s College, Mishen Silva – St. Sebastian’s College, Manelkar De Silva – St. Peter’s College, Pathum Nissanka – Isipathana College, Vishva Chathuranga – Prince of Wales’ College, Revan Kelly – St. Joseph’s College, Hasitha Boyagoda – Trinity College, Krishan Sanjula – De Mazenod College, Praveen Jayawickrama – St. Sebastian’s College, Hareen Buddhila – St. Aloysius’ College, Thisaru Rashmika Dilshan – Trinity College, Nipun Ranshika – P. de S Kularatne College.

Mahinda Halangoda (Manager), Roy Dias (Head Coach), Chaminda Vaas (Fast Bowling Coach), Darshana Weerasinghe (Physical Trainer), Nick Pothas (Fielding Coach), Sanjeewa Gamage (Physiotherapist), Keerthi Gunaratne (Representative of Schools Cricket Society).

Match schedule:

Triangular Series: 15 – vs South Africa (Cape Town), 16 – vs Zimbabwe (Cape Town), 20 – vs Zimbabwe (Paal), 21 – vs South Africa (Paal), 24 – vs Zimbabwe (Stelenburg), 26 – vs South Africa (Stlenburg), 28 – Final (Paal).

One Day Series against South Africa: 1st February – first one day match, 3rd February – second one day match, 5th February – third one day match.

Allrounder Milinda Siriwardana, who was in the squad for the first two games, was omitted in the only other change in the 16-man squad announced on Friday.

Kumara was part of Sri Lanka’s successful under-19 tour to England, where the youth test and ODI series were won recently. His teammate, batsman Avishka Fernando, was already in the senior squad as Sri Lanka looks to build a team for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Kumara, who has no first-class experience, took 19 wickets in both formats during the England tour.

Opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan will retire from ODI cricket after the third match in Dambulla, to give way for the team building. Dilshan has played 329 ODIs since his debut in 1999, and still ranks among the team’s best scorers.
___

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhanajaya De Silva, Angelo Perera, Avishka Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Amila Aponso, Lahiru Kumara.

In an excellent all-round performance, Sri Lanka dismissed the strong England batting for 184 and then surpassed the modest target in the 36thover.

Sri Lanka will take on India in the first semi-final in Mirpur on Tuesday. The second semi-final on Thursday will feature host Bangladesh against the winner of Monday’s Pakistan-West Indies match.
Hasaranga de Silva strangled England’s middle-order with his leg spin claiming three wickets.

This is only the third time Sri Lanka has reached the semi-final of this tournament since its inception in 1988. In the home event in 2000, it reached the final where it lost to Mohammad Kaif’s India, while in 2010 in New Zealand, Sri Lanka reached the last four and finished in fourth position.

England failed to match its earlier run-feast in Group C where it raked up totals of 371 for three against Fiji, 282 for seven against the West Indies and 288 for four against Zimbabwe.

Callum Taylor top-scored with 42 after England won the toss and elected to bat, but the rest of the batting fell apart against the sustained pressure applied by the Sri Lanka bowlers. Leg-spinner Hasaranga de Silva finished with three wickets for 34 runs after seamer Asitha Fernando had wrecked the start with two dismissals.
Avishka Fernando receiving the Player of the Match award from BCB director Nazmul Karim Tinku.

Sri Lanka made a breezy start to its reply, racing to 51 for no loss in eight overs before the lunch break, with Fernando contributing 35 of those runs. Kaveen Bandara helped Fernando put on 76 for the first wicket by the 14thover when he was run out for 22.

Fernando hit 11 fours and a six to steer Sri Lanka towards an emphatic win before he was caught behind off Saqib Mahmood when just 14 runs were needed for victory in 17 overs.

Skipper Charith Asalanka, who put on 69 for the third wicket with Fernando, fell for 34 soon after, but Sri Lanka cruised home easily.

Asalanka said he was delighted to see his team bounce back after losing to Pakistan in the last league match.

“We had not batted well against Pakistan, so it was important to settle down and build big scores, which is what Avishka was able to do today,” he said. “But the bowlers won us the game today. We bowled well and fielded very well too. But the plus point is that we have improved our batting.”

Asalanka said Sri Lanka will test India with spin in the semi-final.

“We know India players are good facing spin, but spin is our strength and we will stick to that,” he said. “We are confident of doing well in the semi-final.” England captain Brad Taylor said he was disappointed to lose after his team did so well in the league stage.

“I genuinely believe we had an off-day,” said Taylor. “You have days when it does not come off. I think Sri Lanka played very well, but on another day, we would back ourselves.

“We expected Sri Lanka to rely on spin, but the batsmen did not stay long enough to build partnerships. We had come here to win the tournament, so obviously we are very disappointed.”

In the Plate Championship play-off in Cox’s Bazar, Ireland defeated Canada by six wickets to ensure it does not finish amongst the bottom two in the 16-nation tournament.

Play resumed at 9.45 last morning and Sri Lanka continuing from their overnight score of 10/0 lost opener Kavin Bandara for 16 half hour into the game. Salinda Ushan who opened the innings with Kavin was unfortunately caught and bowled by Shadab Khan for 49. Sri Lanka went into lunch at 128/2.

In the after lunch session, Avishka Fernando was caught by Aon Abbas off the bowling of Arfan Liaqat for 63 scored off 105 balls with four boundaries. Shammu Ashan was unbeaten on 54 and Wasnidu Hasaranga unbeaten on 25 when the decleration was made with the total on 211/3 at tea which was taken early, giving the Pakistan youth team a victory target of 350 runs to be scored in a minimum of forty one overs left of the game.

Zeeshan Malik and Abdulla Shafiq opening the Pakistan team’s second innings shared an 87 run first wicket stand before Malik was caught by Charith Asalanka off the bowling of Sammu Ashan for 55 scored off 58 balls with five boundaries and three sixes.

The match was called off at the fall of the wicket of Kamran Afzal 21. Of the eight bowlers used only Sammu Ashan, Thilan Nimesh and Nishan Pieris captured a wicket each..