T20 WC: SL captain praises bowlers, Kamindu-Kusal after Ireland win
What's the story
Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka has praised his team's bowling strength and the resilience of Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis in their 20-run victory over Ireland. The match was held at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, marking Sri Lanka's opening game in Group B of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Here are further details.
Match highlights
Kamindu, Kusal's batting rescue helps Sri Lanka post a total
Batting first, Sri Lanka found themselves in a tough spot at 87/4, without a single boundary in the middle overs. However, Kamindu Mendis's explosive knock of 44 off just 19 balls and Kusal Mendis's unbeaten innings of 56 off 43 balls helped them post a competitive score of 163/6. Shanaka expressed his satisfaction with the overall performance despite the initial struggle.
Post-match insights
A well-earned victory for Sri Lanka, says Shanaka
In his post-match comments, Shanaka said, "Well-earned victory. Very happy about the overall performance. The start was a bit of a struggle, but Kusal held it in the end, with Kamindu's cameo the turning point." He also spoke about his expectations from Wanindu Hasaranga who has a hamstring problem and praised Maheesh Theekshana for his excellent bowling in middle overs.
Player reflections
'Wanted to keep the momentum going,' says Kamindu Mendis
Kamindu, who was named Player of the Match, revealed his strategy was to score around 160 runs. He said, "When I went to the middle, I wanted to keep my momentum and wanted to score runs and put on a partnership with Kusal Mendis." He praised the bowlers for their excellent performance and said they thought it would be a 170-plus wicket but felt like a 160 one while playing spinners.
Bowling brilliance
Hasaranga, Theekshana shine with 3-fers as well
Sri Lanka's bowlers, led by Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, played a key role in their victory. Hasaranga took three wickets for 25 runs while Theekshana claimed three wickets for 23 runs. Their stellar performances helped Sri Lanka defend their total successfully as Ireland were bowled out for 143 in just under 20 overs.