Mumbai: In a game dominated by spinners from both sides, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, claimed three wickets each to save co-hosts Sri Lanka the blushes against Ireland with a 20-run win in their opening Group B match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup played at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Sunday evening.
Set a target of 164 to win, Ireland were very much in the hunt for an upset till the 15th over as they needed 51 runs off 30 balls with seven wickets in hand.
However, Hasaranga put behind a leg injury he suffered bowling his first over in the game to return and provide crucial breakthroughs to play a starring role for Sri Lanka with three wickets for 25 runs. On the first ball of the 16th over, the Lanka unorthodox spinner got the well set Harry Tector hitting straight down to the midwicket fielder to reduce Ireland to 113/4.
Overall, the game was a continuation of the early trend of the tournament where the established teams have been put under the pump by the minnows.
Sri Lanka were made to struggle throughout the game by Ireland. The delight of getting to watch the home batters take first strike lasted only till the Powerplay period when Sri Lanka reached 50/1. The middle overs phase made for painful watching for the home crowd in Colombo. Their final tally of 163/3 looked a war way off at the end of the 15th over. From over number seven to 14, Lanka’s batters could score just 37 runs while losing three wickets.
Sri Lanka owed their final total to a 67-run fifth wicket partnership between Kusal Mendis 56 off 43 balls and Kamindu Mendis 44 off 19 balls of 67.
The spinners were in the thick of action for Ireland. George Dockrell (left-arm spinner) was outstanding with figures of 4-0-17-2 while Gareth Dellany (leg-spinner) also did well to finish with 4-0-24-1. Offie Harry Tector also chipped in with a tight one over for five runs.
They opened with their main bowlers, left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys with the new ball. A power play specialist with the ball, he provided a good start, conceding only five from the first over. But later poor catching let him down as the inexperience of Ireland showed up in the later stage of the innings.
Pacer Barry McCarthy bowled a forgettable 19th over where he conceded 19 runs, out of which nine came off extras. After starting with five runs off a no ball, there were four wides in between being hit for a six.
