HOBART: Sri Lankan spinners stormed through the batting line to restrict Ireland to 128/8 before Kusal Mendis’ magnificent knock of 86 propelled Sri Lanka to their first Super 12 victory of the ICC men’s T20 World Cup, here on Sunday.
Set to chase 129, Sri Lanka eased through to victory in just 15 Overs with nine wickets to spare, thanks to a brilliant knock of Mendis up the order.
The right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 68 off just 43 deliveries, laced with five boundaries and three sixes.
The right-handed batter stitched two important partnerships with his fellow opener Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka respectively.
Opener de Silva fell in the ninth over to Gareth Delany after scoring 31 off 25 deliveries.
Sri Lanka’s No.3 Asalanka then batted sensibly with Mendis and put on a match-winning 70-run partnership with Mendis.
The left-handed batter scored 31 off 22 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.
Ireland, batting first, endured an early attack from the Sri Lankan spinners as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals, which halted them from amassing a big total.
Opening batter Paul Stirling put on a brief fight in the early phase of the innings as he played a brilliant knock of 34 off 25. He smashed four boundaries and a six before falling to Dhananjaya de Silva in the ninth over.
Amid his vital knock, Stirling partnered briefly with Harry Tector for the third wicket and added 29 runs.
Following Stirling’s dismissal, Tector held his ground firm and kept the scoreboard ticking singlehandedly when wickets were tumbling at the other end.
Binura Fernando then put on an end to Tector’s valiant knock in the 17th over, who walked back in disgust despite top scoring for the side with a gritty knock of 45 in 42. His inning featured two boundaries and a six.
The rest of the Irish batters had no answers to the Sri Lankan bowling attack and could amass 128/8 in their quota of 20 Overs.
Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva bagged two wickets each, while Dhananjaya de Silva, Chamika Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara and Fernando struck out a batter each.
