On Sunday, Sri Lanka crushed Ireland by 133 runs to eliminate their opponents and advance to the Super Six stage of the Cricket World Cup qualifying event. In doing so, Sri Lanka also advanced to the next level of the competition.
The outcome also ensured that Scotland and Oman will advance from Group B, joining Sri Lanka, who had already done so.
After being given the opportunity to bat in Bulawayo, Sri Lanka scored an impressive 325 runs before being bowled out in 49.5 overs. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne scored 103 runs at a rate of one run per delivery, and Sadeera Samarawickrama struck 82 runs.
Mark Adair got four wickets for 46 runs, while Barry McCarthy claimed three wickets for 56 runs, but Ireland’s pace spearhead Josh Little let up 78 runs in eight overs without taking a wicket.
After McCarthy had Kusal Mendis leg before wicket with the opening delivery of the match, Karunaratne and Samarawickrama batted together to put up 168 runs for the third wicket.
In the final few overs of the game, Ireland attempted to reduce the damage by getting contributions from Charith Asalanka (38 runs) and Dhananjaya de Silva (42 not out).
Ireland required a victory to maintain their chances of qualifying for the tournament, but after losing their seasoned starter Paul Stirling for six, things quickly went downhill for them.
The removal of Ireland’s captain Andy Balbirnie brought their score down to 57-3, and then in the following over, Lorcan Tucker was bowled out for a duck. Finally, Wanindu Hasaranga trapped Harry Tector in front for 33 runs.
Curtis Campher, who struck a century in the heartbreaking defeat to Scotland, temporarily replied in his knock of 39, but once he top-edged to the wicketkeeper, Ireland were all but lost. Scotland won the match by a large margin.
Hasaranga ended with five wickets for seventy-nine, giving the Sri Lankan leg-spinner a total of sixteen scalps in three qualifying matches in Zimbabwe.