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World T20 201 | Sri Lanka continue unbeaten run owing to all-round performance from Hasaranga

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Sri Lanka have just about ensured their place in the Super 12 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup after a clinical 70-run victory over Ireland at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, 20 October.

The Islanders rode on half centuries from Wanindu Hasaranga and Pathum Nissanka to post a decent total of 171 runs and then returned to clinically defend it with a decent bowling performance.

The quality of the Lankan bowling unit was too good for Ireland to match and they fell behind from the beginning of the chase. The Irish lost their first three wickets for just 32 runs inside the powerplay and from there Sri Lanka just kept piling on pressure one over at a time.

Mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana was once again the pick among the bowlers and grabbed three wickets for just 17 runs off his four overs. He could have done better on the night if he wouldn’t have strayed to the middle and leg stump for most of the play.

On a wicket that did not offer much bounce to the slower bowlers, Hasaranga returned with clinical figures of 1/12 from his 4 overs. The wily all rounder would have gotten at least one more, if Sri Lanka did better in the catching department tonight.

Captain Andy Balbirnie top-scored for Ireland putting up a patient 41 off 39 balls. 

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka once again suffered a top order derailment losing their first three wickets under 10 runs. The proceedings began in the first over itself with Kusal Perera departing for a golden duck, chipping the ball to the cover fielder.

Once Perera went back to the hut, Joshua Little in a spirited first over, first removed Dinesh Chandimal and then cleaned up in-form Avishka Fernando with an absolute ripper.

Down at 8-3, Wanindu Hasaranga and Pathum Nissanka shouldered the batting unit and saw SL through a tough powerplay.

Both batsmen started teeing off from the fifth over bowled by Mark Adair and then took the attack to the opposition in the final over of the powerplay. Simi Singh was at the unfortunate end of things and got slapped for 17 runs in his first over.

Hasaranga and Nissanka added 123 runs in just 82 balls, before Hasaranga tired out in the heat and sliced Adair’s slower yorker to backward point in the second ball of the 16th over.

He made a career best 71 off 47 balls.

The win tonight meant that Sri Lanka have just about assured that move to the Super 12 stage and enter the group of death (Group 1) that houses defending World Champions West Indies, last edition finalists England, Australia and South Africa.

Sri Lanka will hope that they can fix their top order in the break, a unit that is increasingly becoming insufferable to watch for the fans. Barring that, surely the think-tank will sit down to have a discussion about the fielding department that has spilled several catches in the two matches that they have played.

Their bowling has been the feature of the team so far and Dasun Shanaka and co. will hope that they can encash on that asset as the move to face tougher oppositions as the tournament progresses.

Sri Lanka will now play Netherlands in their next game on 22 October Friday.

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World T20 2021 | Namibia vs Netherlands: David Wiese masterclass hands Namibia first WC win

Namibia finally tasted success in a World Cup fixture after they defeated Netherlands by 6 wickets while chasing a target of 165 runs in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Riding on David Wiese’s spectacular batting, Namibia went over the line by 6 wickets and with one over to spare. Namibia started off the chase in a decent manner after openers Stephan Baard and Zane Green put 34 runs for the first wicket but then the side lost a few wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 52/3. Later, Wiese along with captain Gerhard Erasmus stitched a stand of 93 runs for the fourth wicket. Erasmus was eventually sent back into the hut for 32 off 22 while Wiese continued with his masterclass and remained unbeaten at 66 off 40 to see the side home. Earlier, in the day, Max O'Dowd continued good form and struck 70 off 56. He put up 42 runs for the first wicket with Myburgh before the latter departed for 17. Netherlands then lost another wicket in quick succession before Max and Ackerman steadied the ship for the side. The two batters compiled 82 runs for the third wicket. Ackerman was eventually sent back for a 32-ball 35. Netherlands eventually to put 164/4 in 20 overs after Scott Edwards chipped in with a quick-fire 21* off 11 during the course. Wiese expressed delight at anchoring his side to a win. “I'm exhausted, it's pretty hot out there. It was just a case of picking the right sides, as one of them was a shorter side. We were lucky to get that big over before the drinks break, it gave us the momentum. It's a special moment, playing such a knock in a World Cup match. I would like to thank Namibia for giving me a chance to represent them,” he said in the post-match presentation. Namibia will now play Ireland in Sharjah while Netherlands will be up against Sri Lanka at the same venue on Friday.

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World T20 2021 | Rohit Sharma, spinners thrash Australia to mark superb form, perfect preparation

Showing signs of their might and form going into the main draw of the T20 World Cup, India decimated Australia as they chased down a middling target of 153 runs losing just one wicket and with 13 balls remaining. The openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma who are all set to open the innings in the main event started on a confident note but only Rahul found his best touch from the word go. He was severe on deliveries pitched in his half while Rohit was struggling to time the ball initially. However, as soon as he got hold of the Australian pace attack, he took the game to the opposition and feated on their poor and indisciplined bowling. Rahul was aggressive but equally smart in manoeuvring field and he carried on at par with the required rate before Rohit jumped in with his timing. Suryakumar Yadav was promoted to the number three position as Virat Kohli limited himself to a bowler in the game and he looked like leaving his bad form in the early part of the UAE leg of the IPL way behind him. He flicked Cummins for a massive six, swept Mitchell Starc for an outrageous four to establish the range of shots and domination he adds to the Indian batting unit. Rohit asked Hardik Pandya, one of the biggest puzzles of the Indian batting jigsaw to have some go at the Australian bowlers and he finished the job with a trademark six, hit nonchalantly over the bowler’s head. Both the spinners, Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar were hit for massive sixes, but their bowling overall was not off the mark and the captain Aron Finch would not be fretting over their form. Starc looked the best pacer from the Australian side among Cummins and Kane Richardson and he found swing with the new ball, although for just some deliveries. He was up there with the pace as well and Australia would be pleased with his rhythm going forward in the tournament. For India, the decorated spin twins of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were on a roll and broke the backbone of the Australian batting with quick wickets of David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, and Finch. However, Steve Smith, who was struggling to get the ball off the square in the IPL was back to near his best and combined with an in-form Glenn Maxwell to steer them out of trouble and towards a respectable total. Marcus Stoinis came lower down the order and put finish tough with a 25-ball 41 to propel Australia past the 150-run mark. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was not quite at his best but was better than his last appearance in the tournament and it would be a tough ask for the team management to pick one among him and Mohammed Shami as the second pacer. Varun Chakaravarthy was explored as a death-bowling option and the move did not work well at all, although the failure is unlikely to change a lot of ideas and imagination of the team management. India must have pencilled him as the second certain spinner apart from Jadeja, and the runs against Australia would be overlooked for the variety and mystery he brings to the table for the bowling attack. India will be the happier side to walk out of the game with them being able to fulfil and try as many options they would have liked to try while Australia might well be worried over Warner’s form and Cummins’ rhythm.