A late blitz from Kamindu Mendis, a composed unbeaten half-century from Kusal Mendis, and a disciplined spin attack powered Sri Lanka to a convincing 20-run victory in their Group B ICC T20 World Cup opener against Ireland at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday night.
Put in to bat, Sri Lanka found themselves in a spot of bother at 104 for 4 in the 16th over, struggling to generate momentum despite favourable batting conditions. The innings threatened to stall until Kamindu Mendis strode out and changed the tempo in dramatic fashion. Ending a boundary drought that had stretched to 57 deliveries, Kamindu unfurled a cheeky reverse sweep to signal the counterattack and never looked back.
The left-hander smashed 44 off just 19 balls, injecting urgency and belief into the Sri Lankan innings. Alongside him, Kusal Mendis played the perfect foil, anchoring the innings with calm assurance. The pair added a vital 66-run stand for the fifth wicket, turning a modest total into a formidable one. Sri Lanka plundered 59 runs off the final four overs to post 163 for 6, a total that always felt slightly above par on a surface offering something for the bowlers.
Kamindu’s cameo, featuring four boundaries and two towering sixes, had the Colombo crowd on its feet. His assault peaked in the 17th over, which cost Ireland 21 runs and decisively swung the momentum. By the time he was dismissed, Sri Lanka had surged to 153 for 6 with eight balls remaining. At the other end, Kusal Mendis remained unflustered, finishing unbeaten on 56 off 43 deliveries to provide the innings with much-needed stability.
Ireland’s chase never truly gathered momentum. Although the pitch was good for batting early on, it offered increasing assistance to the spinners as the game progressed. Sri Lanka’s spin trio seized control through the middle overs, suffocating the Irish batters and steadily applying pressure.
Wanindu Hasaranga led the charge with an incisive spell of 3 for 25, mixing sharp turn with clever changes of pace. Maheesh Theekshana was equally effective, claiming 3 for 23 with his accuracy and subtle variations, while Dunith Wellalage chipped in with 1 for 28 to ensure Ireland never found a sustained partnership. Matheesha Pathirana finished the tail, taking 2 for 26.
Ireland were left to rue a sloppy fielding effort that included six dropped catches, lapses that ultimately proved costly in a high-stakes contest. George Dockrell was the standout performer with the ball for the visitors, finishing with an economical 2 for 17 from his four overs, but it was not enough to prevent Sri Lanka from opening their World Cup campaign with a confidence-boosting win.
The victory underlined Sri Lanka’s depth, adaptability, and growing assurance, sending an early warning to their Group B rivals.
