ICC T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka thrash Ireland: Key stats
Sri Lanka thrashed Ireland in the Super 12 (Group 1) match of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart. They successfully chased 129, with opener Kusal Mendis paving their way. Earlier, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga decimated Ireland's batting line-up, taking two wickets each. Sri Lanka have now won eight of their last nine T20Is. Here are the key stats.
How did the match pan out?
Ireland lost skipper Andrew Balbirnie early after they elected to bat. However, opener Paul Stirling kept them afloat with a 25-ball 34 (4 fours, 1 six). Youngster Harry Tector shared a 47-run stand with George Dockrell, guiding Ireland past 100. However, Ireland suffered a collapse thereafter. For SL, Mendis and Dhananjaya added 63 runs. The Lankans won by nine wickets eventually.
Fifth batter to complete 3,100 T20I runs
Stirling kept Ireland afloat in the first eight overs. As stated, the right-handed batter smashed 34 off 25 balls. Stirling has become just the fifth batter to complete 3,100 runs in T20I cricket. The right-handed Irish batter is behind Rohit Sharma (3,737), Virat Kohli (3,712), Martin Guptill (3,531), and Babar Azam (3,231) in terms of T20I runs.
Tector complete 800 T20I runs
If Stirling was the nucleus of Ireland's top order, Tector powered them past 100. Tector, who featured in his 48th T20I, fell five short of what could have been his fourth fifty in the format. The right-handed batter was Ireland's top scorer in the match, having registered 45 off 42 balls. He also completed 800 runs in T20 Internationals.
Sri Lanka maintain their winning streak
SL have a 3-0 win-loss record against Ireland. Their maiden meet was during the 2009 T20 WC, with SL claiming a nine-run win. SL then handed Ireland a 70-run defeat last year. Sri Lanka, the 2022 Asia Cup winners, have won eight of their last nine T20Is. Their only defeat in this period came against Namibia in the T20 World Cup opener.
Second SL bowler with 80 T20I wickets
Although SL leg-spinner Hasaranga was expensive in his first two overs, he bounced back toward the end. He dismissed Gareth Delany and Mark Adair in his final over. Hasaranga has become the second Sri Lankan bowler to complete 80 wickets in T20I cricket. He is SL's second-highest wicket-taker in the format after Lasith Malinga (107). Hasaranga averages an incredible 14.18 in T20I cricket.
Mendis slams his 10th T20I fifty
Opener Mendis led the charge for Sri Lanka in the run-chase. He added 63 runs with his compatriot Dhananjaya before getting the Lankans home. The former raced to his 10th half-century in T20I cricket off 37 balls. It was his second consecutive T20I fifty, having slammed 77 against the Netherlands in their final qualifying match.
