Sri Lanka overcome early hiccup to defeat Ireland by 41 – Mathews to the fore 31 n.o., Dasun Shanaka 23 & 4/23, Hasaranga 2
By Srian Obeyesekere
Sri Lanka prevailed over Ireland by 41 runs in the second warm-up game overcoming yet another batting debacle that took veteran Angelo Mathews at No.7 to steady the innings from a shaky 6 for 97 to hold fort with a timely unbeaten 32 off 30 balls (1×4, 2×6) in a total of 163 for 8 in a solidifying effort as No.6 skipper Wanindu Hasaranga 26 (21b, 3×4, 1×6) and former captain Dasun Shanaka 23 (15b, 2×4, 1×6) at No.8 combined in a three fold solidifying effort with Shanaka going on to excel with the ball grabbing 4 wickets for 23 in dismissing the Irish for 122 off 18.2 overs at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground at Lauderhill, Florida yesterday.
Sri Lanka will launch their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign when they take on South Africa in Group D on June 3.
After the only substantial upfront contribution coming from Pathum Nissanka 22 off 15 with a boundary and 2 sixes, once again skipper Hasaranga walked into a 4 for 63 crises after 7.1 overs to steadying things as he watched Charith Asalanka perish for 6 just past the halfway mark – 5 for 82 (10.2 overs) before the Lankan captain departed at 6 for 97 after 13.1 having added 15 with Mathews off 5 deliveries. The entry of Dasun Shanaka saw the two former captains add a run a ball 28. At 8 for 138 after 18.2 with Dhananjaya de Silva falling for 9, Mathews took it a long swishing 23 of the final 25 runs from the next 10 deliveries with Maheesh Theekshana on 2.
Ireland’s chase took off well with openers Paul Stirling (21 13b, 4×4) and Andy Balbirnie run a ball 16 (3×4) before Maheesh Theeksahane removed the latter caught behind by Kusal Mendis. The Irish did draw on an even keel in that pursuit reaching 94 for 5 after 11.3 but were poleaxed, the last 5 wickets falling for 28 with Hasaranga and Shanaka combining in that triangular wrecking with the captain and Theekshana accounting for 2 wickets each with Dushmantha Chameera having despatched Stirling oling out to Mathews. Matheesha Pathirana took one.
CHIEF SCORES:
Sri Lanka 163/8 (20 Overs)
(Angelo Mathews n.o. 32, Wanindu Hasaranga 26, Dasun Shanaka 23, Pathum Nissanka 22, Kusal Mendis 13, Sadeera Samarawickrama 13, Maheesh Theekshana n.o. 2, Barry McCarthy 2/31, Josh Little 2/45, Curtis Campher 1/5, Ben White 1/22, Craig Young 1/19, Ben White 1/22, Mark Adair 1/28)
Ireland 122 (18.2 Overs)
(Curtis Campher 26, Paul Stirling 21, George Dockrell 17, Andy Balbirnie 16, Harry Tector 13, Lorcan Tucker 11, Dasun Shanaka 4/23, Maheesh Theekshana 2/14, Wanindu Hasaranga 2/40, Matheesha Pathirana 1/13, Dushmantha Chameera 1/19)
