Anuradhapura boy (15) hammers first double century

By Susil Premalal

Chanuga Gunaratne

A 15-year old boy from Anuradhapura Central College, left-handed opener Chanuga Gunaratne, etched his name in Sri Lanka schools cricket history by scoring the first double century of the 2026/27 season during an Under-17 Division II tournament match against Skandavarodaya College, Jaffna.

The young batting sensation hammered a magnificent 209 off just 146 deliveries, an innings studded with 31 boundaries and four sixes, to register the highest individual score in the current schools cricket season across all age groups and divisions.

Chanuga’s remarkable knock powered Anuradhapura Central College to an imposing 410 for 3 after electing to bat first, leaving the visitors with a daunting target.

Skandavarodaya College were unable to cope with the massive chase and were eventually dismissed for 195, handing Anuradhapura Central a comprehensive 215-run victory. 

The win was their fifth successive triumph in the Under-17 Division II competition, strengthening their position as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders.

Batting with remarkable authority, Chanuga maintained a strike rate of 143.15, scoring at better than a run a ball while finding the boundary every four deliveries on average. His innings combined controlled stroke play with explosive hitting, as he built a solid foundation before accelerating through his century and continuing relentlessly to reach the landmark double hundred.

The innings has already been hailed as one of the finest individual performances of the season and highlights the immense potential of the promising young opener, who has emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s brightest school cricket prospects.