Sri Lanka favourites in ICC U19 CWC Plate quarter-final against Kenya

Tuesday, 23 January 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

www.icc-cricket.com: Sri Lanka have entered the Plate tournament after finishing third in Group D behind Afghanistan and Pakistan. Their opponents will be a Kenyan side who are winless after the group stage. The teams will face off at Lincoln No.3 on Tuesday 23 January.

Sri Lanka started with a good win against Ireland before defeats to Pakistan and Afghanistan ended their hopes of qualifying for the Super League. However, they were competitive in those losses and had their chances to win both games. They will feel confident of getting back to winning ways against the Kenyans.

Kenya have struggled so far in the tournament. They managed to keep wickets intact in their first two matches but they didn’t find run-scoring easy, succumbing to a 169-run defeat to South Africa and 243-run loss to New Zealand. They haven’t managed to score their runs at a rate of more than four an over in their three matches to date and in their final group game, they were bowled out for 96 by West Indies.

Players to watch

Dhananjaya Lakshan (SL): It was slim pickings for Lakshan in the second and third group matches but his hundred in the opening fixture against Ireland showed what he is capable of. That century came from 120 balls and was a brilliantly paced effort chasing a modest total. He also bowled some tidy overs and claimed a wicket against Pakistan.

Aman Gandhi (Ken): The leading batsman for the Kenyans in the tournament so far with 114 runs from three innings, Gandhi has been a standout performer so far. He made 63 against New Zealand, the only fifty by a Kenyan batsman at the event so far, and averages 38.

The best Sri Lanka have ever fared at the ICC U19 CWC was in 2000, when they lost to India in the final in Colombo. Thereafter, they have reached the semi-finals in 2010 and 2016.

Between 1998 and 2018, Kenya have played 19 matches at the ICC U19 CWC, winning five and losing 14. They have a win/lose ratio of 0.357.

These two teams have never met in the ICC U19 CWC before this match.

Sri Lanka: Kamindu Mendis (c), Dhananjaya Lakshan, Santhush Gunathilaka, Hasitha Boyagoda, Nawanidu Fernando, Nipun Dananjaya, Ashen Bandara, Kishan Sanjula, Nishan Madushka, Jehan Daniel, Praveen Jayawickrama, Haren Buddila, Thisaru Rashmika, Kalana Perera, Nipun Malinga

Kenya: Sachin Bhudia (c), Maxwel Ager, Abhishekh Chidambaran, Aveet Desai, Jay Doshi, Aman Gandhi, Ankit Hirani, Jasraj Kundi, Jayant Mepani, Gerard Mwendwa, Dennis Musyoka, Thoma Ochieng, Sukhdeep Singh, Siddharth Vasudev, Rene Were