turns inside out for a flick to leg, and misses! Back goes the middle stump, and that is a thumping win
Sri Lanka vs Ireland, 8th Match, First Round Group A at Abu Dhabi, T20 World Cup, Oct 20 2021 - Match Result
Hasaranga and Nissanka's 123-run partnership is SL's highest for the 4th wicket in T20Is, breaking the record of 104 between Dilshan and Jeevan Mendis
This is the lowest match aggregate (272) involving Sri Lanka & Ireland in T20Is
9.51pm And on that note, it's goodbye from us. Stay tuned for post-match reaction, and keep your ear cocked for the climax of this preliminary stage. It's getting hot at the top!
Andrew Balbirnie: "Started the week well with a good performance against the Dutch... if we'd lost that game we'd have been playing catch up, but a big game on Friday now, all to play for. Josh Little is a real find for us, had them in trouble, but they took it away from us in the middle though we clawed it back well. He has new ball skills to attack the stumps, hopefully he can continue that on Friday and into next week. Those are the games you want to play, the big knock-outs. It's a big deal for us as players, and for friends and families. Hopefully a lot of people tune in."
Dasun Shanaka "Of course it was a concern at 8 for 3, but they put on an awesome partnership. Hasaranga at 5 is a plan coming in at the World Cup and it worked well for us. Great luxury to have fast bowlers in the side, great credit goes to both of them and the coaches for the efforts in the nets. Have to look at top-order batting, but other areas are okay, though fielding has been poor as well."
Arjun V Ajith: "This win and massive run rate is probably going to hurt Srilanka. They are leading to Group 1 where they need to face Aus, Eng, WI, SA and most probably Bangladesh. " I reckon they'll just be glad to be involved after their struggles in recent times.
Nisala: "The world no.2 bowler saying he is a batsman who can ball. Wow! Wownidu!"
Wanindu Hasaranga is Player of the Match: "When I went in I was under pressure, but I rotated the first few balls, then I accelerated. I am a batting allrounder. Tired, with this heat." And in Sinhalese, he thanks the supporters as Sri Lanka book their place in the main draw.
CricDude: "SL is definitely a top 5 team in this tournament, mainly coz of its bowling attack. Batting is getting better. Surely the top order can't fail N number of times." To be fair, a number of teams in the main draw have good attacks. They need a total to defend to have success.
9.33pm And with that, Sri Lanka march into the main draw, with a very impressive victory. They had to recover from an abject 8 for 3, but did so in superb fashion through a brace of fifties from Hasaranga and Nissanka, before a dominant display with the ball. Despite some resistance from Balbirnie, Ireland's last six wickets tumbled for 16 in 5.5 overs...
Chamara Silva: "This win for SL means they are into the next stage and Netherlands is out of the tournament right?" It does indeed, because it's a straight knock-out between Ireland and Namibia now. Those two teams will finish with two and one wins each.
a skip to the pitch and a languid drive into the covers
leg-sided, flicks the pad to spare the wide
Sazid: "Meanwhile, Rassie's giving a heavy knock against PAK..." Gosh... never knew he had it in him...
another whoosh of a drive outside off, no contact
Abizer Zohair: "Sri Lanka's Bowling was always good, now the battings turning up too. Exciting times!!" Quite a different vibe from their sorry series in England this summer. Then again, their bowling was fine on that trip. The batting, less so
short, clawed to the on-side, hitting down on the pull
another massive biff, inside-edged into the pads, winding up on the full length, to little avail
swished to the leg side, inside-edge of the bat on a futile hack
full length, another attempted yorker, leg-sided this time
yorker, clean through him! Outstanding bowling, wicket-to-wicket, sharp pace, full length, right in the blockhole and Young has no answer. The writing is on the wall now, and even the po-faced Lion on Sri Lanka's shirt is starting to look cheerful
crunched back through the line, a sharp one-handed intercept to see off another tidy over, another tidy spell
slapped from a full length, out to the leg side
slower through the air, gripping back into the right-hander, worked to point
tossed up outside off, a flashy slog sweep, misses, off come the bails again ... the umpire's having a look. No edge involved, and the toe is grounded this time
full length, can't connect on a hack to the leg side
flicked off the toes to the leg side
Abhi: "Looking forward for the Ireland vs Namibia knockout. If Namibia qualifies what a story that would be. Also, it would give a picture of how much progress Ireland has done in the last few years after becoming a full member of the ICC." Yes, plenty riding on that one. And on this showing, I fancy Namibia to have a real shot
low full toss, scuffed to deep point
Asanka: "Two 145 fast bowlers, world no.02 bowler ad also a promising yound mystery spinner. Suddenly this Sri Lankan team has build up a good bowling attack themselves." Indeed, indeed...
full length, thumped on the pads, deflected to the leg side
Deb: "I had asked this question last evening but it was not published. Can any expert tell me that India being the official host of this T20 WC, does India have a say on the condition of the pitches in UAE (for example how much grass to be kept )." The ICC oversee pitch preparation for ICC events
sliced drive, and a stunning reflex take at backward point! The final roadblock is gone, Balbirnie flung his hands through the full length, and Avishka reached high to his left, cupped in both hands
nudged into the gap, singles won't cut it now. Nor, frankly, will boundaries...
back of a length, outside off, chopped down to third man
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi | |
Toss | Ireland, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2021/22 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match number | T20I no. 1331 |
Match days | 20 October 2021 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Sri Lanka 2, Ireland 0 |
Over 19 • IRE 101/10