West Indies Survive Sri Lanka Fightback to Snatch Two-Wicket Thriller

Source: CNW
The West Indies Under-19s turned a looming collapse into a stirring comeback as Jonathan Van Lange and Aadian Racha guided their side to a nerve-jangling two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Under-19s in the fifth Youth One-Day International at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing a modest 173 for victory, the hosts appeared in cruise control at 104 for one before crashing to 145 for eight, losing seven wickets for just 41 runs. With Sri Lanka in the ascendancy, Van Lange (24* not out) and Racha (17* not out) held their nerve, stitching together an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 28 runs to see the West Indies home in the 48th over.

The win gave the Caribbean side a 3–2 lead in the best-of-seven series, putting them one victory away from clinching the contest.

Greenidge and Fontaine Build the Platform

Earlier, the West Indies looked firmly in command thanks to a superb 101-run second-wicket partnership between Micah Greenidge (40) and Earshino Fontaine (48). Their composed batting carried the home side to 104 for one in the 25th over, seemingly putting the chase beyond doubt.

But Sri Lanka’s Vigneshwaran Akash produced a devastating spell, bowling Fontaine and then dismissing Greenidge with a sharp return catch. His fiery burst of four wickets turned the tide, reducing the innings to chaos and giving the visitors a real chance of snatching victory.

Sri Lanka’s Effort with the Bat

Sent in earlier, Sri Lanka laboured to 172 all out in 48 overs. Openers Dimantha Mahavithana (38) and Chamika Heenatigala (36) provided the bulk of the scoring, but the middle order faltered under disciplined bowling.

The West Indies attack was spearheaded by Aadian Racha (3–37) and Shaquan Belle (3–43), with Jakeem Pollard (2–12) producing a probing spell that stifled the innings and kept the total within reach.

Van Lange and Racha Seal It

Ultimately, it was Van Lange and Racha’s calm under pressure that defined the contest. Their intelligent shot selection and composed running between the wickets frustrated Sri Lanka’s hopes of a comeback and carried the West Indies to a tense but memorable win.

As the crowd at North Sound exhaled in relief, the scoreboard read: West Indies U19s 173–8 in 47.4 overs — a reminder of the thrilling unpredictability of youth cricket.

What’s Next

The teams meet again on Friday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium for the sixth Youth ODI, with the West Indies aiming to seal the series and Sri Lanka desperate to force a decider.