T20 World Cup 2022: Clinical Sri Lanka thump Ireland by 9 wickets

Sri Lanka came up with a terrific all-round show to hammer Ireland by nine wickets in the Group 1 Super 12 match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Hobart on Sunday, October 23. Bowling first after losing the toss, the Lankans held Ireland to 128/8. Opener Kusal Mendis then smashed 68* in 43 balls as Sri Lanka raced home in 15 overs.

Chasing 129, Sri Lanka got off to a confident start as their openers added 63 in quick time. In the third over, Mendis smacked Josh Little for a maximum over fine-leg. Barry McCarthy could have had Dhananjaya de Silva in the next over as he missed a pull and nicked the ball to the keeper.

The umpire did not raise his finger, thinking the ball had gone off the body and Ireland also did not review, but UltraEdge picked up the edge. Having survived, De Silva then whacked a short ball from the pacer into the stands. Sri Lanka were exactly 50/0 at the end of the powerplay.

The impressive opening stand was broken when De Silva (31) was caught behind off leg-spinner Gareth Delany. The set batter looked to cut a fullish delivery, but was beaten by some turn and extra bounce.

Mendis carried on attacking and hit back-to-back fours off Delany to bring up his half-century. Charith Asalanka (31*) also joined in the fun and hammered Little for consecutive boundaries in the 14th over, which cost Ireland 17.

In the next over, Mendis ended the game in emphatic style, clobbering Simi Singh for two sixes. The first maximum, which came off the first ball, was hacked over wide long-on. The winning stroke came off the last ball of the over as Mendis hammered a length delivery over deep square leg.

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Sri Lankan bowlers hold Ireland to 128/8

Spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana claimed two wickets each as Sri Lanka held Ireland to 128/8 after losing the toss and bowling first.

Ireland got off to a poor start as their skipper Andrew Balbirnie (one) was bowled by Lahiru Kumara in the second over. The batter shuffled across his stumps to paddle a delivery, but missed the straight ball and was clean bowled.

Lorcan Tucker (10) was also bowled around his legs off Theekshana as he attempted a fine sweep. A couple of big hits from Paul Stirling off Chamika Karunaratne lifted Ireland to 40/2 at the end of the powerplay.

Stirling’s innings ended on 34 as he looked to take on De Silva. Bhanuka Rajapaksa took a well-judged catch at deep extra cover to send back the Ireland opener. The batting side were four down for 60 at the halfway stage as Curtis Campher (two) cut Karunaratne to point.

Harry Tector gave the batting side one of their few moments to cheer when he pulled Hasaranga for a six over deep midwicket. At the other end, though, George Dockrell (14) was cleaned up by Theekshana. Tector himself fell for 45, toe-ending a full toss from Binura Fernando to mid-off.

There was no final flourish from Ireland as Delany (nine) and Mark Adair (0) fell to Hasaranga in the penultimate over. Delany was caught in the deep while attempting a slog-sweep, while Adair dragged one to deep midwicket.

After the bowlers did their job, Mendis ensured Lanka did not face any hiccups in the chase.