ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Theekshana, Hasaranga wreck Scotland

Theekshana took 3 for 41 in his ten overs 

By M. Shamil Amit  

Right arm spin duo Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga wrecked the Scotland batting sharing five wickets between them and bowling the Scots out for 163 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier match played in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe yesterday.
The win saw Sri Lanka ending their group stage matches unbeaten with four wins out of four.
Scotland, in pursuit of their target, were sent reeling by Theekshana and Hasaranga as they struggled with their top five batsmen back in the pavilion with just 73 runs on the board in the 15th over.

From there on, with no significant partnerships coming, their the late order batting failed to make any impression, barring a ninth wicket partnership of 55 runs between Chris Greaves and Chris Soles.
They were eventually bowled out for 163 in 29 overs.

Sri Lanka invited to take first lease of the wicket were given a sedate start by openers Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne who together added 34 runs before Karunaratne fell victim to right arm pacie Sole.
Sole struck again, nine runs later, with the wicket of Kusal Mendis.
Nissanka along with Sadeera Samarawickrama rescued the side with the pair sharing a valuable 55-run stand for the third wicket before being separated with the dismissal of Samarawickrama who chipped in with 26.

Nissanka featured in another brief partnership of 44 runs for the fourth wicket with Charith Asalanka before being dismissed having made a fine knock of 75 runs which came off 85 balls that included ten boundaries.
Asalanka joined by Dhananjaya de Silva put in stiff resistance as the pair frustrated the Scotland bowlers and in the process Asalanka reached his half ton in 47 balls which was his eighth ODI half century.
They went on to post the 50-run partnership before being separated having added another 11 runs with spinner Chris Greaves making the breakthrough with the wicket of de Silva.
With Sri Lanka on 203 for 5 they lost four quick wickets with spinner Greaves doing the damage, sliding from 203 for 5 to 228 for 9 before being bowled out for 245 runs.