Sri Lankan cricket team are in Zimbabwe currently as they are taking part in the ICC world cup qualifiers. The 1996 world cup champions missed out on direct qualifications and are taking part in the tournament alongside other former world cup winners the West Indies. The Dasun Shanaka led side began the tournament with a game against UAE at Bulawayo on Monday. Sri Lanka showed their might as they ran out winner by a whopping 175 runs.
The story as it happened –
Mohammad Waseem the UAE skipper won the toss and chose to bowl first. The pitches in Zimbabwe have been conducive to the teams who have bowled first with the early moisture in the pitch. Sri Lankans went into the game without the seasoned Chameera and the new hottest sensation in Matheesha Pathirana.
Kartik Meiyappan’s lazy run out costs him his wicket –
UAE chasing 356 to win were out of the contest with the score reading 170/7 in the 35th over. Kartik Meiyappan who created an impact during the World T20 last year was facing Hasaranga.
The batter played the ball towards the off side and only set off for a single once there was a misfield. Maheesh Theekshana swooped onto the ball and hit the stumps with a direct hit as Kartik Meiyappan was seen jogging and ultimately was given out run out.
Sri Lankan top 4 get off to a good start –
Put into bat first, Sri Lanka opened with Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka as the two batters put on 95 for the 1st wicket. Karunaratne was the 1st to go when he fell for 52 off 54 balls with 7 fours. Nissanka and Kusal Mendis added 43 further runs for the 2nd wicket. Nissanka was out for 57 off 76 balls with 5 fours in his knock.
The top scorer of the innings was Kusal Mendis with 78 off 63 balls with 10 fours, while Samarawickrama scored 73 off 64 balls with 9 fours. The 3rd wicket stand between the two was worth 105 in 13.1 overs.
Asalanka assault leads SL to 355 –
With the fall of Mendis, the Sri Lankans found a new hero with the bat in Charith Asalanka. The left hander scored 48 off 23 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes as he led Sri Lanka to a massive 355. Asalanka was supported by Hasaranga towards the back end of the innings with 23 off 12 balls with 3 fours.
Hasaranga destroys UAE with a 6 wicket haul –
Chasing 356 to win, the UAE batter saw their skipper Mohammad Waseem top score with 39. His knock came off 48 balls with 5 fours and a six, while V. Aravind scored 39 as well with 3 fours in his 55 ball knock. The star with the ball for the Lankans was Hasaranga who picked career best 6/24 from his 8 overs with a maiden.