Colombo. Powered by the disciplined and incisive bowling of spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, Sri Lanka began their T20 World Cup campaign with a convincing 20-run victory over Ireland in their opening match. Playing on home soil, both bowlers dominated the contest, leaving the Irish batters struggling to cope with their spin. Together, Hasaranga and Theekshana accounted for more than half of Ireland’s lineup, claiming three wickets each.
Earlier, Sri Lanka posted a competitive total of 164 runs while batting first. In response, Ireland managed only 143 runs in 19.5 overs, falling short of the target. For Ireland, Harry Tector scored 40 runs, while Ross Adair contributed 34. The remaining batters failed to make significant contributions and were dismissed cheaply.
