Sri Lanka’s Eleventh-hour name to draft in Kamindu Mendis proved a masterstroke because the all-rounder produced a match-turning cameo to arrange a 20-run win over Eire of their T20 World Cup opener at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
Kamindu’s blistering 44 off 19 balls with 4 fours and two sixes gave Sri Lanka the late thrust they badly wanted to publish 163.
The spin trio of Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage then ran by the Irish center order, sharing seven wickets to seal a cushty victory.
“I simply wished to attain a couple of boundaries and put a partnership with Kusal Mendis,” mentioned Kamindu.
“Kusal was excellent at present. He deserves lots of credit score. We wished somebody to bat by the innings.
“They performed nicely in the course of the run chase till the fifteenth over. We needed to hold our calm and we knew they needed to take dangers and we bowled nicely in the direction of the top.” Hasaranga claimed three wickets to take his World Cup tally to 40, second solely to Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, who has 50.
There have been anxious moments when the leg-spinner, who has a historical past with hamstring accidents, limped off after his second over.
Though he returned to finish his quota, he moved gingerly, elevating questions on his health for the remainder of the marketing campaign.
Sri Lanka’s innings had been caught in first gear till Kamindu strode in with the scoreboard studying 86 for 4 within the 14th over, boundaries having dried up in opposition to Eire’s spinners.
The left-hander broke a 57-ball boundary drought with a cheeky reverse sweep after which went into overdrive, plundering 21 runs within the seventeenth over to wrestle again the momentum.
With Kusal Mendis enjoying the sheet anchor position in an unbeaten half-century, Sri Lanka discovered a aggressive whole from what had appeared like a below-par platform.
Eire have been marshalled by left-arm spinner George Dockrell, who returned a depressing spell of 2-17.
A 49-run stand between Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector for the third wicket stored Eire within the hunt.
From a promising 105 for 2, Eire misplaced their approach and folded for 143 in 19.5 overs with Matheesha Pathirana cleansing up with two wickets within the last over.
“They bought 15 runs too many,” mentioned Eire captain Paul Sterling.
“Bit sloppy within the subject and we’ve got loads of work to do earlier than the following sport.
“We have been assured with loads of wickets in hand, however Sri Lanka held their nerve.
“Spin is a problem for us. It wasn’t coming onto the bat as a lot as we anticipated. Spin, I consider, goes to play a giant position on this match.”
Former champions Sri Lanka are co-hosting the 20-nation showpiece alongside defending champions India.
