T20 World Cup: Wanindu Hasaranga, Pathum Nissanka help Sri Lanka crush Ireland and qualify for Super 12s


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.

Sri Lanka vs Ireland, T20 WC: Highlights

Hasaranga, who was adjudged Player of the Match, also picked up a wicket for 12 runs from his 4 overs for the winners.

"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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