Mahela ton floors Zimbabwe
KARACHI:
Mahela Jayawardene scored a superb century and led Sri Lanka to a 14-run win over Zimbabwe in a rain-interrupted World Twenty20 match.
After Sri Lanka posted a competitive 173, Zimbabwe’s chase was halted in the first over after which they were set a revised target of 107 in 11 overs. Following a second interruption in the sixth over, it was curtains for Zimbabwe, who were 29 for one when they had to be 43 in order to claim maximum points. They face New Zealand in their final match for a Super-Eights place.
Jayawardene continues his IPL form
Sri Lanka opted to bat and were off to a flyer through Jayawardene, who scored a blistering 81 in a losing cause against New Zealand in Sri Lanka’s last match.
He continued from where he left off and took 14 off the first over. Tillakaratne Dilshan’s poor form continued but Jayawardene plundered the bowling. At 24, Dilshan’s mistimed a drive and was caught at mid-off before Thissara Perera (23) added 56 runs for the second wicket in only 39 balls. Sri Lanka were 80 in the ninth over when Greg Lamb got the better of Perera. Captain Kumar Sangakkara failed to contribute much but had Jayawardene at the crease, who had taken upon himself to go all the way.
Wickets continued to fall at the other end but Sri Lanka went along happily. Jayawardene hit 10 boundaries and four sixes as he reached the tournament’s second century and the fourth in Twenty20 internationals to take his team past the 160-mark. He was dismissed after a whirlwind 100 off only 64 deliveries. Sanath Jayasuriya, demoted to number eight, faced three deliveries as Sri Lanka finished with 173 on the board. Raymond Price, who picked up Jayawardene, finished with two for 31.
Mahela Jayawardene scored a superb century and led Sri Lanka to a 14-run win over Zimbabwe in a rain-interrupted World Twenty20 match.
After Sri Lanka posted a competitive 173, Zimbabwe’s chase was halted in the first over after which they were set a revised target of 107 in 11 overs. Following a second interruption in the sixth over, it was curtains for Zimbabwe, who were 29 for one when they had to be 43 in order to claim maximum points. They face New Zealand in their final match for a Super-Eights place.
Jayawardene continues his IPL form
Sri Lanka opted to bat and were off to a flyer through Jayawardene, who scored a blistering 81 in a losing cause against New Zealand in Sri Lanka’s last match.
He continued from where he left off and took 14 off the first over. Tillakaratne Dilshan’s poor form continued but Jayawardene plundered the bowling. At 24, Dilshan’s mistimed a drive and was caught at mid-off before Thissara Perera (23) added 56 runs for the second wicket in only 39 balls. Sri Lanka were 80 in the ninth over when Greg Lamb got the better of Perera. Captain Kumar Sangakkara failed to contribute much but had Jayawardene at the crease, who had taken upon himself to go all the way.
Wickets continued to fall at the other end but Sri Lanka went along happily. Jayawardene hit 10 boundaries and four sixes as he reached the tournament’s second century and the fourth in Twenty20 internationals to take his team past the 160-mark. He was dismissed after a whirlwind 100 off only 64 deliveries. Sanath Jayasuriya, demoted to number eight, faced three deliveries as Sri Lanka finished with 173 on the board. Raymond Price, who picked up Jayawardene, finished with two for 31.