Hobart: Kusal Mendis hit an unbeaten fifty after the bowlers put up a clinical show to guide Sri Lanka to a dominating nine-wicket win over Ireland in a T20 World Cup super 12 match, here on Sunday.
Asked to bowl, Sri Lankan bowlers, led by spin duo of Maheesh Theekshana (2/19) and Wanindu Hasaranga (2/25), produced an all-round effort to restrict Ireland to a below-par 128 for 8. They were right on the money as Ireland failed to build substantial partnerships.
Harry Tector was the top-scorer for Ireland, scoring 45 off 42 balls with two fours and one six, while Paul Stirling made 34 off 25 balls during which he struck four boundaries and two hits over the fence.
While Theekshana and Hasaranga shared four wickets between them, Lahiru Kumara (1/12), Dhananjaya de Silva (1/13), Chamika Karunaratne (1/29) and Binura Fernando (1/27) picked up a wicket each for the island nation.
Chasing 129 to win, Sri Lanka, who had lost to minnows Namibia in their first match of the qualifying round, never looked in any sort of trouble as they overwhelmed the target, scoring 133 for 1 with five overs to spare.
Kusal Mendis anchored the chase with a 43-ball unbeaten 63, while Charith Asalanka (31 not out off 22) and Dhananjaya de Silva (31 off 25) also got some runs under their belt.
Ireland, who are playing in their seventh straight World Cup, featured in the final round of the tournament only for the second time since their super 8 appearance in the 2009 edition in England.
Mendis and de Silva got Sri Lanka off to flier in their modest chase of 129.
The duo went hammer and tongs against the Irish attack and stitched 63 off 50 balls for the opening wicket before de Silva edged a delivery from leg-spinner Gareth Delany to Lorcan Tucker behind the stumps while trying to cut the ball through the square.
With the asking rate under their control after the quick start, Mendis slowed down and mostly played in singles and twos with occasional boundaries in between in the company of Asalanka to keep Sri Lanka’s chase on track. —PTI

Press Trust of India