By Fathima Zanaida
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| Man of the Match Ajantha Mendis after 6 wickets for 8 runs. |
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (TheSportsNext) September 18, 2012: Jeewan Mendis and Ajantha Mendis came up with gigantic performances as Sri Lanka got their ICC World Twenty20 2012 (ICCWT20) campaign off to a strong start against Zimbabwe as they raced to a massive 820run victory at Hambantota.
Ajantha Mendis made a glittering return to international cricket with the best-ever figures in the Twenty20 International cricket as he bettered his previous best-ever figures in the Twenty20 International cricket as he captured six wickets for just eight runs.
The previous best-ever bowling figures in Twenty20 International cricket was by Ajantha Mendis of six for 16 which he recorded against Australia in Pallekele International Stadium on August 8, 2011.
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| Responsible Jeewan Mendis |
Batting first, Sri Lankan cricket team scored massive 182 runs for four from their 20 overs on a ground where scoring over 140 runs takes a lot of doing but some poor bowling and careless fielding by Zimbabwe helped Sri Lankan cause.
Sri Lankan debutant opening batsman Dilshan Munaweera (17 from 19 – 3 fours) along with Tillakaratne Dilshan (39 from 28 – 5 fours) got the home team off to a great start as the opening pair scored 54 runs from 39 deliveries. When Dilshan got out, Sri Lankahad scored 75 runs from 9.5 overs.
Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene, who needed 19 runs to complete 1,000 runs in Twenty20 International career, was run out after scoring 13 runs from 18 deliveries with the help of a boundary. However, former skipper Kumar Sangakkara (44 from 26 – 2 fours, 1 six) and Jeewan Mendis (43 not out from 30 – 4 fours, 1 six) then belted the Zimbabwean bowlers hard as added 94 runs for the fourth wicket from 49 balls. During the course of that partnership Jeewan Mendis also hit the first six of the ICC World Twenty20 2012.
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| Jeewan Mendis injecting "Life" into Sri Lankan team |
The Sri Lankan innings was finished in an astounding fashion with Thisara Perera hitting six as the hosts scored 182 for four.
Apart from Prosper Utseya (4-0-25-0) and Graeme Cremer (4-0-27-1), none of other Zimbabwean bowlers could found their line and length as well as discipline as Kyle Jarvis gave away 31 from his four, Brian Vitori, second debutant in the match, went for 27 from three, while Chris Mpofu leaked 48 runs from his four overs.
Chasing a daunting target of 187 runs, Zimbabwean openers showed some promise before sinking their good start into the sand as Hamilton Masakadza (20 from 23 – 3 fours) and Vusi Sibanda (11 from 16 – 1 fours) both went in a quick succession after scoring 37 runs for the first wicket.
Ajantha Mendis was the destroyer as he got rid of both the openers in style before getting Zimbabwean skipper Brenden Taylor (Duck) stumped.
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| The Unplayable Ajantha Mendis |
Elton Chigumbura (19 from 19 – 1 four, 1 six) and Craig Ervine (10 from 13 – 1 six) did offer some resistance but once again it was Mendis, the Jeewan Mendis, who destroyed the Zimbabwean middle order by getting rid of Ervine and then Malcolm Waller (Duck) before Ajantha bowled Chigumbura as Zimbabwe clearly looked down the battle.
In the end, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 100 runs from 17.3 overs and Sri Lanka won the match by a gigantic margin of 82 runs and put their one leg in the Super Eights stage of the ICC World Twenty20 2012.
Ajantha Mendis took six wickets for only eight runs from his four overs including two maiden overs while Jeewan Mendis captured three wickets for 24 runs. Lasith Malinga culminated the Zimbabwean innings and finished with figures of one wicket for 20 runs.
Ajantha Mendis was declared Man of the Match for his extraordinary spell of spin bowling and securing best-ever bowling figures in T20I cricket.
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| The Triumphant Sri Lankan Cricket Team |
