Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis impressed with the bat earlier than Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana’s incisive spin bowling powered Sri Lanka to a 20-run win over Eire of their T20 World Cup conflict in Colombo on Sunday.
Kusal scored a gritty 56 not out off 43 balls, whereas Kamindu supplied the late impetus with a 44 off 19 deliveries, as Sri Lanka recovered from a sluggish begin to put up a preventing 163 for six.
In reply, leg-spinner Hasaranga (3/25) and Theekshana (3/23) bowled with very good management, as Eire was dismissed for 143 in 19.5 overs.
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Earlier, Eire’s bowlers, led by George Dockrell (2/17), stored a good grip on the innings, leaving Sri Lanka struggling at 68 for 3 by the eleventh over.
However Kusal performed a decided innings, grinding out a vital half-century in testing circumstances to offer Sri Lanka a aggressive base, earlier than Kamindu supplied the late flourish, smashing 4 boundaries and two sixes so as to add respectability to the overall.
BRIEF SCORES
Sri Lanka 163 for six in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 24, Kusal Mendis 56 not out, Kamindu Mendis 44; George Dockrell 2/17, Barry McCarthy 2/40, Gareth Delany 1/24).
Eire 143 all out in 19.5 overs (Ross Adair 34, Harry Tector 40, Lorcan Tucker 21; Maheesh Theekshana 3/23, Wanindu Hasaranga 3/25, Matheesha Pathirana 2/26).
Revealed on Feb 08, 2026