Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama smashed stunning centuries, helping Sri Lanka to set 345 runs taregt for Pakistan in group stage match of World Cup 2023 at Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Opening batsman Pathum Nissanka made fifty but he could not get support from his partner Kusal Perera, who was dismissed for duck.
Kusal Mendis was the star of the show for Sri Lanka for the second successive game, with the big-hitting No.3 slamming a majestic century to get his side off to a phenomenal start with the bat. He made 122 off 77 while Samarawickrama scored 108 off 89 as Pakistani bowling lineup struggled to restrict them from putting score on board.
Hasan Ali took four wickets for 71 and Harif Rauf grabbed two scalps while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan took one wicket each.
Earlier Coverage
Pakistan made a bright start to their World Cup campaign with a comfortable victory over the Netherlands, while Sri Lanka will be keen to bounce back from a first-up loss to South Africa.
Pakistan will look to build upon their win against Netherlands, while Sri Lanka will look to overcome the setback they received against South Africa in Delhi.
Sri Lanka badly missed the services of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana in that match, and will be hoping that the latter has recovered from his hamstring injyury in time to take on Pakistan in Hyderabad.
Theekshana will be required to keep tabs on a strong Pakistan batting line-up, with skipper Babar Azam sure to be keen to atone for a rare failure first up against the Dutch.
Saud Shakeel shone the brightest in that Netherlands clash, and the powerful left-hander looks set to play a big role in Pakistan’s World Cup campaign.
Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur has admitted he knows Sri Lanka’s “strengths and weaknesses” inside out, having spent two years at the helm of his Asian rivals.
“Yeah, I know their strengths and weaknesses, so we will have plans put in place for all of them,” Arthur told the Agence France-Presse new agency on Monday.
“They are a dangerous side, so we will have to be at our best to beat them.”
Pakistan are likely to keep the same lineup for the match, handing a lifeline to out-of-form opener Fakhar Zaman, who scored just 12 against the Netherlands.
“I am not worried about his form. He is a good player and is just one innings away from a big score,” Arthur said of the only Pakistan batsman to have made a double century in ODI cricket.
Sri Lanka will also be buoyed by their two-wicket win against Pakistan last month, which propelled them to the Asia Cup final in Colombo.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka admitted his side has been hampered by the loss of three front-line bowlers but received a boost on Monday when off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana was cleared to play against Pakistan.
“I think he should be available for this game,” Sri Lanka batting coach Naveed Nawaz told reporters.
Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga were ruled out of the tournament completely through injury.
“It was tough to manage things without three key bowlers, but that is part of the game,” Shanaka said after the South Africa match.
Head-to-head
Both teams know each other quite well, having played 156 ODIs against one another. Pakistan hold the upper hand in terms of wins with 92 to their name while Sri Lanka have 59, and one match ended in a tie.
Pakistan have come out on top in all seven meetings in the Cricket World Cup.
Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis (vc), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha
