Sri Lanka qualify for Super 12

Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana (4L) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Ireland’s Paul Stirling. (AFP)

By Champika Fernando in Abu Dhabi

Had anyone expected Sri Lanka to make such a strong comeback after being reduced to 3 for 8 inside the second over against Ireland last night? The answer was a resounding “no” with three of the best batters of the Sri Lankan camp back in the pavilion before barely adding anything to the scorecard.

Kusal Perera (0), Dinesh Chandimal (6) and Avishka Fernando (0) were all at sea as Ireland seized early control of their second Group A qualifying fixture with some outstanding bowling first-up.

But this did not deter the Sri Lankan batters. Opener Pathum Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga flattened the Irish bowlers in a swashbuckling fourth-wicket stand to give Sri Lanka a heads up at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium last night.

Hasaranga, promoted ahead of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and skipper Dasun Shanaka in order to take advantage of the remaining powerplay overs, produced one of the best batting displays you’ll see, along with young Nissanka. Sri Lanka scored a match-winning 171 for 7.  His promotion proved a master-stroke by the team’s think-tank, as Hasaranga seized the opportunity, firing from all cylinders to lead a resilient counterattack.

The duo treated spinner Simi Singh with utmost disrespect, scoring as many as 43 runs off his three overs including four consecutive boundaries hit by Hasaranga off the last over of the powerplay. Apart from Josh Little, the Irish bowlers were taken to the cleaners by Hasaranga and Nissanka during their record stand.

The pair shared a record stand of 123 runs for the fourth wicket in 82 balls, hitting their career-best scores. Hasaranga scored 71 off 47 balls with 10 boundaries and a six while Nissanka, who survived a drop catch on 40, played responsibly, hitting 61 off 47 with six boundaries and six. Even though Josh Little returned figures of 4 for 23, including two in two in his first over of the match, the Irish bowlers could do little to stop the carnage.
The Irish were never in the chase as Sri Lankan bowlers lived up to expectation, picking wickets at regular intervals to derail Ireland’s journey. Mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana once again inflicted the most damage giving as little as 17 runs off his four overs and picking up three wickets while man-of-the match Hasaranga completed his four overs for just 12 runs adding one more wicket to his name. Sri Lanka’s pace trio of Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara and Chamika  Karunaratne were once again outstanding, generating serious pace over 140km per hour, testing the Irish batters.

In the end Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 70 runs, to secure their spot in the main draw with a game to go but there are still questions galore over the top order batting as they will meet tougher oppositions.

On Tuesday, ahead of what was thought to be their toughest group game against Ireland, Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur said that batter Dinesh Chandimal was one inning away from resurrecting his game, but against Ireland, he cut a sorry figure once again, managing just six runs.

Replacing Kusal Perera who was out first ball when he spooned it to short cover, Chandimal was expected to anchor the innings.

But he did little to justify his continuous selection to the side, making just a run-a-ball six before he dragged a ball from Little onto the stumps, attempting to cut too short to the body.

This could potentially be the end of the road for the former skipper in this World Cup and in the shorter format, as changes are mulled ahead of the last qualifying game against Netherlands on Friday. But who will take his place in the side is the question with two remaining candidates, Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka not in great form either.

Avishka Fernando has steadied the middle-order since being dropped down to number four with some scintillating performances, but not this time around. He was cleaned by an absolute beauty of a delivery from Little for a first-ball duck. But given how he has played over the last few series, Fernando is expected to comeback strongly though there’s little hope over the two misfiring seniors Kusal Perera and Chandimal.