By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lanka under 19 team led by Sineth Jayawardena will lead the Sri Lanka U19 team in the Men’s Under19 Asia Cup Cricket Tournament to be held in Dubai from December 8 to 17.

Eight teams divided into two groups of four teams each will be in the fray in the mega tournament. India are in Group A along with Nepal, Afghanistan and arch-rivals Pakistan.

Sri Lanka is drawn up in Group B alongside Bangladesh, Japan and hosts UAE. Nepal, UAE and Japan joined the competition by virtue of having secured the top three rankings outside regular members in qualifying the tournament.

The tournament will get underway on December 6 with defending champions India taking on Afghanistan in the curtain raiser on December 8. Pakistan will take on Nepal in the second match. Altogether fifteen tournament matches will be staged in three venues namely the ICC Academy Oval-1, ICC Academy Oval-2 and the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The Sri Lanka U19 team has been under residential training in preparation for the tournament under a strict regimen at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The squad pending approval by the Sports Minister, is scheduled to take wining for Dubai on December 4.

Jehan Mubarak is the Head Coach and Sampath Perera the Assistant Coach while the rest of the gamut are Chamila Gamage Fast Bowling Coach, Sachith Pathirana Spin coach and Gayan Wijekoon Fielding Coach while Jayantha Seneviratne is the Manager.

Under-19 Squad (subject to approval by the Sports Minister):

Sineth Jayawardene (Skipper), Pulindu Perera, Rusada Gamage, Raveeshan Nethsara, Sarujan Shanmuganadan( wk) Dinura Kalupahana, Vishva Lahiru, Garuka Sanketh, Vishen Halambage, Ruvishan Perera, Malsha Tharupathi (Vice Captain), Vihas Thewmika, Duvindu Ranatunga, Hirun Kapurubandara( wk) Dinuka Tennakoon Reserve: Janith Fernando, Supun Waduge