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Fans react after Sri Lanka T20 World Cup 2026 starts with win over Ireland as Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga shine with the ball
Cricket

Fans react after Sri Lanka T20 World Cup 2026 starts with win over Ireland as Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga shine with the ball

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Sri Lanka opened them T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a hard-fought victory by 20 runs Ireland in Colombo. After being put into bat, the co-hosts recovered from a mid-innings slump to reach a competitive 163/6, thanks to crucial half-centuries from Where in Mendi And Kamindu Mendis.

Ireland’s chase looked promising at 104/2, but the introduction of Sri Lanka’s elite spin duo turned the game on its head. Mahesh Theekshana And Wanindu Hasaranga dismantled the middle order, taking three wickets each to cause a dramatic collapse. Ireland eventually finished at 143/9 as the required run-rate rose out of reach in the final overs. This win marks a perfect start for the Lions in front of their home crowd and secures two crucial points in Group B.

T20 World Cup 2026: Mendis duo save Sri Lanka after mediocre stutter against Ireland

The Sri Lankan innings started with high energy but soon found resistance from a disciplined Irish bowling attack led by Mark Adair And George Dockrell. After loss Kamil Mishara asked, Pathum Nissanka and Mendis tried to stabilize but Dockrell’s double strike in the middle overs left the co-hosts tottering at 86/4 by the 14th over. Just as the run rate started to stagnate, Kamindu came in and completely changed the momentum with a blistering 44 off just 19 balls, including four boundaries and two huge sixes.

His aggression allowed Mendis to anchor the other side, ultimately finishing unbeaten on 56 off 43 deliveries, leading the team to a defendable total of 163. The last flowering was particularly chaotic, as Barry McCarthy bowled a record-tying 11-ball 19th over that featured multiple wides but also the key wickets of Kamindu and captain Dasun Shanaka. Despite the inconsistencies, Sri Lanka’s late surge provided their bowlers with the cushion needed to apply pressure on a slowing Premadasa surface.

Also WATCH: T20 World Cup 2026: Maheesh Theekshana castigates Paul Stirling with deadly yorker; unleashes an iconic ‘archer’ celebration during the SL vs IRE clash

T20 World Cup 2206: Spin twins Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga cause Ireland’s collapse

The Irish pursuit of 164 began with the intention of ashes Ross Adair made for a fiery start, and the collaboration between Harry Tector (40) and Lorcan Tucker (21) put them in a strong position at 104/2. However, the game changed in the 15th over when Hasaranga removed Tector, leading to a collapse that saw Ireland lose seven wickets for just 39 runs. Theekshana was equally lethal, removing Paul Stirling early before returning to clean up the lower middle order with his trademark mystery spin, finishing with elite figures of 3/23.

Hasaranga’s third wicket, dismissed Curtis Kamperwas a personal milestone as it marked his 40th career wicket in T20 World Cups, moving him into second place on the all-time list behind Shakib Al-Hasan. Dushmanta Chameera And Matheesha Pathirana provided the pace support to ensure there was no late-order miracle for the visitors. By the time the final was over, the 27-run equation was too much for Dockrell and Adair to handle against Pathirana’s pinpoint yorkers.

Here’s how fans reacted:

Also WATCH: T20 World Cup 2026: Pavan Rathnayake throws away wicket with reckless shot during SL vs IRE clash


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