Sri Lanka Qualify For ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
Maheesh Theekshana took four for 25 to bowl out Zimbabwe for 165 inside 33 overs
BULAWAYO – Sri Lanka secured their place at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 by breezing past Zimbabwe in their Super Six encounter on Sunday.
Maheesh Theekshana took four for 25 to bowl out Zimbabwe for 165 inside 33 overs before a century from Pathum Nissanka powered Dasun Shanaka’s side to a nine-wicket win.
In the day’s other game, lower-order striking from Dipendra Singh Airee rescued Nepal as they defeated the United Arab Emirates by three wickets in the second seventh-place play-off semi-final.
Having been put into bat by Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe wobbled in Bulawayo, losing Joylord Gumbie for a five-ball duck before Wessly Madhevere departed for one to leave the Chevrons on eight for two.
Dilshan Madushanka took his third wicket of the morning to dismiss captain Craig Ervine, but in doing so brought the dangerous Sikandar Raza to the crease to join Sean Williams.
Raza played with the patience the situation required before Madushanka took a fine low catch to dismiss the all-rounder for 31 from 51 balls and end the 68-run partnership.
Williams could not add to his back-to-back centuries but did make 56 before he was bowled by Theekshana, who then combined with Matheesha Pathirana (2/18) to clean up the tail.
Zimbabwe’s final five batters added only 38 runs with three wickets in six balls drawing the hosts’ innings to a close after 32.2 overs.
In response to 165, Sri Lanka were led by Nissanka who made a run-a-ball fifty in a century partnership with the more watchful Dimuth Karunaratne.
The opener had reason to be cautious having been dropped on nought by Brad Evans in just the third over of the game, before surviving a review for caught behind on 21.
The review inspired Nissanka to power his side forward as he took Evans for three fours in the next over, bringing up his half-century shortly after.
The hundred-partnership arrived in the 19th over as Karunaratne took an easy single to move to 29 before the left-hander was dismissed by Richard Ngarava to leave Sri Lanka at 104 for one.
Nissanka continued to steer Sri Lanka to their total, ably supported by Kusal Mendis who selflessly turned down runs to allow Nissanka a shot at a hundred.
A wide from Wellington Masakadza brought the scores level with Nissanka three short of his second ODI ton before a four off the next ball brought up the milestone and the win, which will see Shanaka’s side head to India for the World Cup in October.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe are still in the driving seat to join Sri Lanka knowing victory over Scotland on Tuesday will make their first appearance at a Cricket World Cup since 2015 certain.
“We had a good plan but I think after the first ten overs we hadn’t executed our plans well so sometimes you had to do it for the team. So I came back and had a chat with Dasun and said ‘We need to change something so I just changed something in the field and got a wicket. Because we lost Lahira [Kumara] I knew I had to bowl in the powerplay as well, but Dilshan came into the side and got the first three wickets and he got us the momentum. Sikandar [Raza] and Sean [Williams] were batting brilliantly in that period of time. So when I came back, I knew I had to get a wicket and get it settled down. I executed my plans well then and bowled better areas,” said Player of the Match Maheesh Theekshana.
“Coming for the qualifiers it is always tough, but still, we go through the process and we knew that with the team we have got here that we were going to qualify for the World Cup. Credit to the other teams they played really well in the tournament, some of the teams gave us some good fights in between, but still we are a better side. This bunch of players, they have got their own skills and they utilise the conditions over here really well and that is what is important. Knowing the strength of our bowling and batting, that is the key to success, we stick to our basics really well, whatever the conditions and whatever the situation is,” said Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka.
“It’s a big achievement but still we know what we have done in the past in World Cups especially, we won the 1996 World Cup and were the 2011 runners-ups. We have been playing amazing cricket in the World Cup so it’s a much-needed thing for Sri Lanka to be up here in that big stage. Yes, there is pressure here but still the pressure begins on the big stage. So I think that World Cup ahead is the main focus and main target for us, we are waiting to deliver there as well,” he added on qualifying for the World Cup. – ICC
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.