BULAWAYO: Sri Lanka displayed a dominant performance as they crushed Ireland by 133 runs on Sunday, securing their place in the Super Six stage of the Cricket World Cup qualifying tournament and eliminating their opponents in the process.
In a Group B encounter, Sri Lanka elected to bat after winning the toss in Bulawayo. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne set the tone with a run-a-ball century, scoring 103, while Sadeera Samarawickrama contributed 82 runs. Their partnership of 168 for the third wicket propelled Sri Lanka to an imposing total of 325 all out in 49.5 overs.
Despite Mark Adair’s figures of 4-46 and Barry McCarthy’s 3-56, Ireland’s bowlers struggled to contain Sri Lanka’s batsmen. Josh Little, in particular, was expensive, conceding 78 runs in his eight wicketless overs.
Karunaratne, reflecting on his innings, stated, “If I get a start, I want to go for the big one. In the morning, there was something for the bowlers, but when the swing stops we can get some boundaries. I was waiting for that… don’t try to hit them hard, just time them well.”
Uphill Battle for Ireland
In response, Ireland faced an uphill battle, needing a victory to keep their qualification hopes alive. However, they lost early wickets, including experienced opener Paul Stirling for just six runs. Captain Andy Balbirnie’s dismissal further dented Ireland’s chances, reducing them to 57-3. Despite a brief counter-attack from Curtis Campher, who scored 39, Ireland’s hopes were dashed as Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga’s exceptional bowling performance led to their downfall.
Hasaranga claimed five wickets for 79 runs, taking his tally to 16 wickets in three qualifiers so far in Zimbabwe. Ireland eventually fell short, being bowled out for 192, resulting in a comprehensive victory for Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, in the other Group B match, Scotland continued their winning streak, defeating Oman by 76 runs. Brandon McMullen’s maiden century, a blistering 136 off 121 balls, and skipper Richie Berrington’s contribution of 60 runs propelled Scotland to a target of 321. Oman struggled in their chase, losing wickets at regular intervals and ending on 244-9.
With this victory, Sri Lanka, Scotland, and Oman have all secured their spots in the Super Six stage of the World Cup qualifiers. Sri Lanka will face Scotland in their final group game, which holds significant importance for both teams.
