Sri Lanka thrashed Ireland in the 15th game of the ICC WC 2023 Qualifiers by 133 runs on Sunday (June 25). The match showcased the Sri Lankan team’s enduring grit and quality. Sri Lanka put up an impressive performance with the bat and the ball under the leadership of captain Dasun Shanaka.
After winning the toss, Ireland opted to bowl first, aiming to stop Sri Lanka’s batting attack early. Although, The opening Sri Lankan pair of Dimuth Karunaratne and Avishka Fernando got things off to a strong start. Karunaratne in particular demonstrated his maturity and skill by batting superbly for a century that left the Irish spinners impotent.
Karunaratne remained steadfast and led Sri Lanka to a solid score while wickets fell at the other end. The Sri Lankan innings progressed due to the middle order’s contributions, especially Sadeera Samarawickrama’s amazing half-century. As Sri Lanka finished their innings at 325.
Ireland began the chase after a difficult target. The Irish batting lineup was completely destroyed by Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, Hasaranga led the way with an incredible five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5 for 79. With 16 wickets, his strong performance throughout the tournament has made him the top wicket-taker.
Hasaranga Registered His 3rd Five-Wicket Haul
Alongside Hasaranga’s heroics, Maheesh Theekshana took two wickets and Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, and Dasun Shanaka each added one. Curtis Campher put up a courageous fight for Ireland, leading the team in scoring with 39 runs, but his efforts fell short in the face of Sri Lanka’s excellent bowling performance.
The Irish innings ended in the 31st over with a low score of 192 runs, giving Sri Lanka an emphatic victory by 133 runs. Sri Lanka’s all-around effort not only got them into the World Cup Qualifier Super Six round, but also proved how strong their attack will be heading into the next level of the competition.
ICC WC 2023 Qualifiers, Sri Lanka vs Ireland Highlights:
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 325 in 49.5 overs (Dimuth Karunaratne 103, Sadeera Smaarawickrama 82; Mark Adair 4-46, Barry McCarthy 3-36) beat Ireland 192 in 31 overs (Curtis Campher 39, Harry Tector 33; Wanindu Hasaranga 5-79, Maheesh Theekshana 2-28) by 133 runs
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