Sri Lanka qualified for the Super 12s after registering a 70-run win over Ireland in theirGroup A first round match of the ICC T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka produced a clinical performance in their second match at the T20 World Cup to beat Ireland by 70 runs in Round 1 and qualify for the Super 12s in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.The Lankans bowled out Ireland for 101 while defending 171 to consolidate their position at the top of the Group A table.
Captain Andie Balbirnie and Curtis Campher were the only two batsmen who managed scores in double figures but none of the other batters managed to last more than 9 deliveries as lack of partnerships hurt their cause.
Maheesh Theekshana was the standout bowler for the 2014 champions with 3 for 17 while Lahiru Kumara and Chamika Karunaratne grabbed a couple of wickets each.
“When I went into bat, I tried to give myself sometime and then got an idea on how to go about things. Managed to accelerate after that. I like to think that I’m a batting all-rounder,” Hasaranga said.
Earlier, it was the half-centuries from Hasaranga and Nissanka which helped Sri Lanka recover from 8 for 3 to post 171 for 7 in 20 overs after being put into bat first.
Opting to bowl, left-arm medium-pacer Josh Little (4/23) picked up two wickets at the start to leave Sri Lanka tottering at 8 for 3 but Hasaranga (71) came up with a classy knock under pressure to rescue the former champions.
In the company of opener Pathum Nissanka (61), Hasaranga forged a splendid century partnership, adding 123 runs as the opposition bowlers lost the steam after a dream start.
Little returned with superb figures from his four overs but the other bowlers could not quite sustain the pressure and allowed Lanka to get away to a big score.
The result saw Netherlands getting knocked out from Group A while the winner of the Ireland vs Namibia clash on Friday will go through to the Super 12s.
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