Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis came to the party with the latter in particular in last 5 overs as Sri Lanka recovered from 95/4 to 163/6. They were aided by shoddy fielding and dropped catches by Ireland who were in control for the first 15 overs. The spinners bowled really well out there. The game is in the balance but the co-hosts have the runs on the board.
Sri Lanka gets off to a solid start despite losing Kamil Mishara early inside the powerplay
Put into bat first, Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara came out to open the batting for Sri Lanka while Matthew Humphreys had ball in hand for Ireland. Humphreys bowled a good first over. Mark Adair came to bowl from the other end. Nissanka welcomed him with a boundary by clattering the ball through the covers for a boundary. Mishara joined the fun as he flicked it away to the square leg region for a boundary.
Barry McCarthy came into the attack next. Mishara welcomed him with a drill down the ground for a boundary. Mishara got a reprieve as Ross Adair put him down at short midwicket off Barry McCarthy. Adair continued and he struck by getting rid of Mishara for 14 off 11 balls with 2 fours to his name as he spooned the ball to McCarthy at mid-off. Kusal Mendis came out to bat next.
Humphreys continued as Nissanka took him on and swatted it over square leg for the maximum. Nissanka completed 500 runs in T20 World Cup. Barry McCarthy bowled the last over of powerplay as Kusal hit him by pulling hard to deep square leg for a boundary. Mendis once again picked the gap as he pulled it past mid-on for a boundary. Mendis did it again as he cut the ball to deep point for a boundary to end the powerplay. Sri Lanka were 50/1 in 6 overs of powerplay with Nissanka unbeaten on 20 off 17 balls while Mendis was unbeaten on 14 off 8 balls.
Ireland tighten the screws by taking regular wickets and stem the flow of runs in middle overs
George Dockrell came into the attack post the powerplay. He bowled a quiet first over. Gareth Delany came into the attack and he too bowled a decent over. Dockrell then struck for Ireland as he removed Nissanka for 24 off 23 balls with one four and one six to his name as Stirling took a good catch at cover region. Pavan Rathnayake came out to bat next. He got off the mark soon. Delany continued and bowled a decent over as Sri Lanka reached 68/2 in 10 overs at the halfway stage of the innings.
Dockrell continued and got rid of Rathnayake for 5 off 9 balls as he cleaned the batter up bowled. Dunith Wellalage came out to bat next. He got off the mark soon. Harry Tector came into the attack next. Harry bowled another quiet over. Dockrell continued and kept things under check. Delany returned to the attack. Kusal Mendis was given OUT LBW to Delany but the batter reviewed and got the decision overturned in his favour thanks to good usage of DRS.
Delany soon got another wicket for Ireland as he removed Wellalage for 10 off 13 balls as he looked to slog it across the line and the ball went away to the deep midwicket fielder as Dockrell took the catch. Drinks was taken at this stage after which Kamindu Mendis came out to bat. He got off the mark soon. Humphreys continued and bowled the 15th over of the innings. He bowled a decent over.
So, after 15 overs, Sri Lanka were 95/4 with Kusal Mendis unbeaten on 32 off 29 balls alongside Kamindu Mendis unbeaten on 7 off 5 balls. Ireland were on top at the completion of 15 overs, the middle overs phase of the innings.
Late Flourish led by Kamindu Mendis and a solid half-century from Kusal Mendis takes Sri Lanka to 163/6 in 20 overs
Gareth Delany continued as finally Kamindu broke the shackles as he hit a boundary over backward point as the 100 came up for Sri Lanka in 15.3 overs. Matthew Humphreys came back as Kusal was dropped by Curtis Campher who made a meal of it. Kusal again lapped it over short fine leg where McCarthy backtracked but could not take the catch. Kamindu then launched Humphreys over long-off for the maximum. Dockrell made a mess of it. Kamindu pulled Humphreys for a boundary. Mendis hit another boundary as Kamindu hit it to the long-on fence.
Mark Adair came back to bowl his final over as another catch went down from Ireland. Kusal pulled it to deep backward square leg where another catch went down. Kusal then sent the ball towards backward point for a boundary. Barry McCarthy came to bowl the 19th over and conceded 5 runs thanks to a beamer and boundary. Two wides in a row followed. Then the ball was pummelled by Mendis over long-on for the maximum. The 150 came up for Sri Lanka in 18.2 overs. Another wide followed.
McCarthy then removed Kamindu finally for 44 off 19 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes to his name as he was caught in the deep. Dasun Shanaka came out to bat next. He got out of a full toss just in the right height as Adair took the catch. Hasaranga came to face the music. Another wide came as the over went for 19 runs and a lot of extras.
Adair bowled the final over of the innings as Kusal swiped to the midwicket fence for a boundary. The 50 came up for Kusal Mendis in 39 balls, his 3rd in T20 World Cup. Another chance went down as Kusal was given a life as Adair put down a tough chance as well. In the end, Sri Lanka recovered from 95/4 in 15 overs to a competitive 163/6 in 20 overs. Kusal Mendis was unbeaten on 56 off 43 balls with 5 fours to his name while Hasaranga remained unbeaten on 1 off 2 balls. 9 extras given by the fielding side.
Ireland bowlers bowled well with George Dockrell being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/17 in 4overs. Barry McCarthy finished with 2/40 in 3 overs. Gareth Delany finished with 1/24 in 4 overs. Mark Adair finished with 1/33 in 4 overs. Matthew Humphreys gave away 44 runs in 4 overs while Harry Tector bowled an over for 5 runs. So, Ireland now needed 164 runs to win the contest.
Who’s Winning, Sri Lanka or Ireland?Â
Sri Lanka have recovered well to get to 163/6 in 20 overs after being 95/4 in 15 overs. Ireland bowled well but fielding and catching was awful and that helped Sri Lanka with the Mendis duo rescuing the home team. Ireland needs to bat well and deep to cause an upset. The match can go either ways. Let’s see how things unfold from here.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Ireland Keeps A Tight Leash With 2 Wickets In First 10 Overs.