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Kusal Mendis’ 43-ball 68 led Sri Lanka to a scientific 9-wicket win of their opening match of the Tremendous 12 of the 2022 T20 World Cup in opposition to Eire on Sunday. The Lankans, ridden with accidents and coming into the following stage after a shock defeat to Namibia, confirmed the sort of kind that helped them pip India and Pakistan to the Asia Cup title final month with the ball and the bat.
Put into chase 133 after a superb bowling efficiency, Mendis put in a 3rd consecutive match-winning innings after his heroics in opposition to the UAE and Netherlands, holding his aggressive mindset up and going for the Irish bowling assault from the very first over. The Lankans had been 50 for no loss within the powerplay additionally because of Dhananjay de Silva’s 31 of 25, and Mendis rounded out the chase alongside Charith Asalanka’s 31 of twenty-two balls.
There have been questions over Mendis’ means to steer the batting lineup of Sri Lanka with all of the accidents, however he has been central to the Lankans’ resurgence within the World Cup following the shock loss to Namibia. So measured has his strategy been that he has hardly regarded misplaced each time he takes a danger – even when he chooses to not, itself an enormous danger in T20 cricket.
An excellent knock from Kusal Mendis 🌟 #SLvIRE | 📝: https://t.co/g8FzZKEP6r pic.twitter.com/DeCOXpZ1kJ
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 23, 2022
His combine between pragmatism and aggression was excellent for a low run chase just like the one at Hobart on Sunday – marked by the 2 sixes he smashed on the leg aspect within the fifteenth over. During the last three innings, he has proved that not solely does he have Sri Lanka’s batting on his shoulders, however he’s additionally one of many premier batsmen on the World Cup this yr.
SL ruthless with the ball
Mendis, de Silva, and Asalanka might have placed on a ruthless run chase, however Sri Lanka’s victory was based mostly on their excellent efficiency with the ball within the first innings.
Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie had proven their damaging energy within the opening powerplay after they knocked out the West Indies earlier this week. However with the opening spells of Binura Fernando and Lahiru Kumara didn’t permit any room to have the same begin. The latter solely bowled two overs, however in knocking over Eire’s skipper Balbirnie, and curbing early runs, his contribution was immense.
Sri Lanka have put themselves in command with two early wickets within the Powerplay 💪#SLvIRE |📝: https://t.co/g8FzZKEhgT
Head to our app and web site to observe the #T20WorldCup motion 👉 https://t.co/wGiqb2epBe pic.twitter.com/xGRLAqYYyu
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 23, 2022
Eire can bat deep, and their center order batsman have gained them fairly a number of matches, most not too long ago an unbelievable partnership between George Dockrell and Curtis Campher – the latter hit a 36-ball 72 – bought them a vital win over Scotland final week. However Sri Lanka’s spinners, harmful as standard, didn’t permit Eire any room to manoeuvre.
Maheesh Theekshana had even picked up a wicket contained in the powerplay, and Eire’s batting order from high to backside discovered him exhausting to choose, and Wanindu Hasiranga, who has emerged as their most potent middle-order risk, took two once more, even when he leaked 25 runs within the course of.
Sri Lanka’s batting order could also be resting on the laurels of Kusal Mendis for the time being, however their bowling assault is simply as formidable as a unit, with every of them pitching in with wickets and good economic system on the proper time. Their defeat to Namibia might have been regarding, however the scientific overcome Eire is additional proof that they continue to be a risk to the highest groups on the World Cup.
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