Match Details

IRE vs SL 15th Match, T20 WC 2022

team important image
SL
133-115.0
Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets 🏆
IRE
20.0128-8
team image
K Mendis Logo
K Mendis Jersy

68

(43)

K Mendis
68(43)
4s: 5
6s: 3
SR:158.14
+
C Asalanka Logo
C Asalanka Jersy
4s: 2
6s: 0
SR:140.91
S Singh Logo
S Singh Jersy

0-20

(2.0)

S Singh

0-20(2.0)
Econ: 10.00
13th Over:
1
1
1
4
4
0
 
= 11
Last Over:
2
wd
2
2
2
4
4
 
= 17
This Over:
6
1
1
2
0
6
 
= 16

Player of the Match

Kusal Mendis Logo
Kusal Mendis Jersy
Kusal Mendis
Sri Lanka
68(43)
SLSL - 2nd Innings
SessionOpenPASS
6 Over 4650
10 Over 8275
15 Over 117133
IREIRE - 1st Innings
SessionOpenPASS
6 Over 4340
10 Over 6960
15 Over 93100
20 Over 148128
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Commentary

All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
That is it from this match. Now the focus shifts towards the big match, India vs Pakistan. For now, this is your guy, AkshayaKrishna Polya, signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Arijit Kundu and scorer/analyst Paras Yadav, who brought you all the live action of this mouth-watering fixture.
Dasun Shanaka | Sri Lanka Captain: "We were very pleased with how we performed. That's the type of cricket we'd like to play. (Use of spinners) We knew spinners would be important in this game. In this game, we used the spinners tactically late in the game. (Mendis' back-to-back fifties) He is mostly consistent and plays according to the situation. That is what he has improved - high-level batting. We now have that luxury. Death bowling is our main focus, and getting off to a good start is crucial. I want to keep that confidence."
Andrew Balbirnie | Ireland Captain: "We knew that Sri Lanka are a great threat. It is a challenge playing them. There wasn't much spin, but it was enough to make the stumps and bat work. We hoped to get around 160 or so. We knew they had a spin threat on a used wicket, but you have to bat well - first or second. Tector is one of our best players; he's had a fantastic season and is an important part of our middle order. (MCG next game) Many of us would not have played in such an unfamiliar stadium. We haven't played England in about 11 years, so this is very exciting."
Kusal Mendis: "The bowlers did an excellent job of limiting them to a low score, and I simply played my game. I was only told to play the first 6 overs and then continue; the goal was to last 10 overs, but we were chasing a low score. We wanted to win in 17 overs, and Charith (Asalanka) advised me not to put too much pressure on myself. (Expresses gratitude to the audience in his native language)."
Kusal Mendis is the player of the match.
And what a way to bring the victory. Kusal Mendis takes Sri Lanka past the finishing line with a big six. Kusal Mendis has brought up 1000 T20I runs and was unbeaten till the end to continue Sri Lanka's winning momentum. Sri Lanka was calculative in their chase, and kept the scoreboard ticking in the initial half. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva garnered 50 runs in the powerplay and the latter got out in the 9th over. After the dismissal of de Silva, Asalanka and Mendis cruised through with an unbeaten 70-run stand. Mendis completed his fifty and also finished the match later with a six over square leg as they won it by 9 wickets with five overs remaninig.

Earlier in the game, Ireland had won the toss and elected to bat first. Ireland Skipper Andrew Balbirnie was the first one to depart, while trying to play an unnecessary dancy shot. They also lost Lorcan Tucker early in the innings, and were in trouble until the last over of powerplay, where Chamika Karunaratne took some smoking. The run rate went down as the spinners and pacers controlled the run flow quite well. Harry Tector scored 45 runs from 42 balls and the others couldn't support him well. Ireland ended up getting to the 128 runs mark in 20 overs.
And what a way to bring the victory. Kusal Mendis takes Sri Lanka past the finishing line with a big six. Kusal Mendis has brought up 1000 T20I runs and was unbeaten till the end to continue Sri Lanka's winning momentum. Sri Lanka was calculative in their chase and kept the scoreboard ticking in the initial half.

Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva garnered 50 runs in the powerplay and the latter got out in the 9th over. Charith Asalanka made sure that they counter well and take Sri Lanka towards the margin of triumph.

Earlier in the game, Ireland had won the toss and elected to bat first. Ireland Skipper Andrew Balbirnie was the first one to depart while trying to play an unnecessary dancy shot. They also lost Lorcan Tucker early in the innings, and were in trouble until the last over of powerplay where Chamika Karunaratne took some smoking. The run rate went down as the spinners and pacers controlled the run flow quite well. Harry Tector scored 45 runs from 42 balls and the others couldn't support him well.  Ireland ended up getting to the 128 runs mark in 20 overs.

Sri Lanka starts the group stages on good terms and wins with 9 wickets in hand. This will also help them in getting a good run rate.
OVER 15
Sri Lanka
133/1
Kusal Mendis
68(43)
Charith Asalanka
31(22)
Simi Singh
0-20(2.0)
14.6 S Singh to K Mendis
6 SIXXX!!! That is it! Sri Lanka win by 9 wickets as they thrash their counterparts with five overs remaining! Fuller-length middle stump. Mendis sits down on one knee and hammers a slog sweep over the deep square leg fence for a massive six.
14.5 S Singh to K Mendis
0 Short and outside the off. Mendis cuts it to the man at backward point.
1000 T20I runs for Kusal Mendis!!
14.4 S Singh to K Mendis
2 1000 T20I runs for Kusal Mendis! Fuller outside the off. Mendis gets low and uses the pace as he guides it to the left of short third man for a couple.
14.3 S Singh to C Asalanka
1 Short and wide outside the off. Asalanka cuts it down to deep point for a single.
14.2 S Singh to K Mendis
1 Fuller length around the off. Mendis sits down on one knee and goes for another slog sweep. This time completely miscues as the top edge lands way infront of wide long-on.
14.1 S Singh to K Mendis
6 SIXX!! A long hop from Simi Singh and Mendis smokes it. Short and outside the off. Mendis sits down on one knee and picks it up early as he clubs the pull off the middle of the bat. High and handsome well over the deep mid-wicket fence for a six.
OVER 14
Sri Lanka
117/1
Charith Asalanka
30(21)
Kusal Mendis
53(38)
Joshua Little
0-45(4.0)
13.6 J Little to C Asalanka
4 FOURRR!! Back-to-back fours for Asalanka and Sri Lanka. Fuller length and outside the off. Asalanka gets low and opens the bat face as he squeezes it through the point region for another four. Timing and placement were on spot!
13.5 J Little to C Asalanka
4 FOURR!! Charith Asalanka goes up and over and gets a four. Fuller length outside the off. Asalanka lofts this one over the wide mid-off region for a glorious four. With this the dup completes a fifty-run partnership! 
13.4 J Little to C Asalanka
2 Good length on the middle stump. Asalanka turns it down to deep square leg for a couple. Good running from the batters. A dive from the southpaw saves him in the end.
13.3 J Little to C Asalanka
2 Slower one back of a length outside the off. Asalanka loses his grip and drags the pull down to deep mid-wicket for a couple.
Commentary