LAUDERHILL: Dasun Shanaka bamboozled Ireland’s batting unit with a four-fer and propelled Sri Lanka to a comfortable 41-run victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match here on Friday.
Put into bat first, Sri Lanka registered a formidable total of 163/8 in the allotted 20 overs, courtesy of Angelo Mathews’ unbeaten 32 run-knock.
The seasoned all-rounder batted sensibly at the backend after coming out to bat at No.7 and added valuable runs for Sri Lanka.
Mathews was the top-scorer for Sri Lanka, followed by skipper Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva (26), Dasun Shanaka (23) and opener Pathum Nissanka (22).
Josh Little and Barry McCarthy led the bowling attack for Ireland with two wickets each while Ben White, Curtis Campher, Craig Young and Mark Adair made one scalp apiece.
In response, Ireland’s batting unit unfolded on a measly 122 before being bundled out in the penultimate over.
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Campher topped the scoring for Ireland with a run-a-ball 26 while skipper Paul Stirling (21) was the other notable run-getter as the rest of their batters faltered against the Shanaka-led Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Shanaka returned astonishing figures of 4/23 in 3.2 overs while Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana bagged two wickets each.
Meanwhile, in another ICC T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up clash, Afghanistan outclassed Scotland by 55 runs.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted 178/8 in the allotted overs at the back of Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai.
Naib top-scored for Afghanistan with a blistering 69 off 30 deliveries, laced up with five fours and six sixes while Omarzai made a 36-ball 48, hitting six boundaries including two sixes.
In response, Scotland could only manage 123/9 in 20 overs despite Mark Watt’s gutsy knock.
Watt waged a lone battle for Scotland with a 25-ball 34 down the order while experienced opener George Munsey (28) contributed significantly.
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