Sri Lanka's U-19 Asia Cup campaign ends after Afghanistan defeat

Sri Lanka's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the 2026 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup were extinguished on Monday when they suffered a 106-run defeat to Afghanistan in their final Group B match at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman.

The loss means the Island nation, which has reached the final of the tournament on five previous occasions, will not progress from the group stage. Sri Lanka required a victory over Afghanistan to keep their semi-final ambitions alive but fell short in a decisive contest.

The result concludes a disappointing campaign for the young Sri Lankan side, who were unable to accumulate sufficient wins to secure qualification despite their pedigree in the competition. Afghanistan's dominant performance proved too much for the Sri Lankan batsmen and bowlers to overcome.

The 2026 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup continues with the remaining fixtures determining which teams will proceed to the knockout stages. Sri Lanka will now focus on analyzing their performance and preparing for future youth tournaments.