CWC Qualifiers: Sri Lanka conclude perfect group stage with dominant win vs Scotland
Sri Lanka completed their group stage endeavours making it four victories out of four matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.
Dasun Shanaka’s team defeated Scotland on June 27, Tuesday, winning their fourth fixture by a convincing margin of 82 runs.
Maheesh Theekshana was given the player of the match award after picking three wickets for 41 runs in 10 overs. Earlier in the game, Theekshana had contributed with the bat as well scoring 16 runs from 21 balls.
Playing in a difficult and tired wicket at the Queens Sports Club in Harare, Scotland did well to restrict Sri Lanka to just 245 runs at the break. The Scottish team got early inroads picking up two wickets in the first powerplay. Sri Lanka however got back into the game, courtesy of three middle-order partnerships, which helped them put something respectable on board.
Opener Pathum Nissanka top scored with 75 runs off 85 balls, while Charith Asalanka hit 63 off 65.
Coming into defend the total, which captain Dasun Shanaka admitted later was below part, Sri Lanka did well with the ball from the start. By the 21st over Scotland had lost 7 wickets and there was no way for them to chase down the total. Out of Scotland’s 163 runs, 56 were scored by Chris Greaves, the leg spinning all-rounder, who also took four wickets in the Sri Lankan innings.
Scotland captain Richie Berrington rued that it was just not their day
“We were looking to utilise the early movement…was a fantastic effort in the last fifteen overs to bowl them out under 250. We tried to be really smart with our fielding,” Berrington said at the post match press conference.
“The wicket was a little slower today. Greaves has come into the attack slightly earlier as well. But it has always depended on the situation. We were up with the rate all the way through…disappointing that we fell so many runs short. Not our day with the bat. We will look to come back strong in the next game,” the captain concluded.