CWC 2023: Mendis, Samarawickrama hit centuries to power Sri Lanka to 344/9 against Pakistan

Kusal Mendis made Pakistan pay for a dropped catch on 18 with a 77-ball 122 while Sadeera Samarawickrama blazed his way to his maiden ODI century (108 in 89 balls) to lead Sri Lanka to 344/9

Hyderabad: Kusal Mendis made Pakistan pay for a dropped catch on 18 with a 77-ball 122 while Sadeera Samarawickrama blazed his way to his maiden ODI century (108 in 89 balls) to lead Sri Lanka to 344/9 after electing to bat in their second ICC Men’s ODI World Cup clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Mendis, during his stay, added two century partnerships – 102 runs for the second wicket with Pathum Nissanka and 111 runs for the third wicket with Samarawickrama – to put their side on course for a much bigger target. But Pakistan pulled things back with quick wickets at the death. For Pakistan, Hasan Ali was the most successful bowler with 4/71 while Haris Rauf scalped two wickets for 64.

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Sri Lanka lost opener Kusal Perara for a duck in the second over when he edged Hasan Ali to wicketkeeper Rizwan. Lanka would have been two down for 31 in the seventh over but Imam-ul-Haq dropped Mendis on 18 at the point off Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Nissanka began aggressively hitting Hasan Ali for a straight six and a boundary and welcomed Rauf with another to the fance to take his side to 58/1 in 10 overs. At the other end, Mendis swept Shadab for a six over mid-wicket. Both Nissanka and Mendis reached their fifties in the 17th over. However, in the next over, Shadab ended the century stand dismissing Nissanka (51).

But Mendis and new batter Samarawickrama kept the momentum. Mendis hit Rauf for a six while Samarawickrama smoked a six and a four to amass 20 runs in the 21st over. Mendis smacked Afridi for a hat-trick of boundaries in the 25th over. He then pulled Hasan Ali for a mid-wicket six to reach his century in just 65 balls.

Mendis then hit two consecutive sixes – one over long-on and another over extra cover – but holed out on the next ball trying for another big one after adding 111 with Samarawickrama. Hasan Ali struck once again in his next over removing Charith Asalanka (1) cheapply to peg Lanka back.

However, Samarawickrama and Dhananjaya de Silva added 65 runs in 66 deliveries for the fifth wicket before the latter departed in the 42nd over. At the other end, Samarawickrama reached his century in 82 deliveries. However, he departed soon trying for a reverse scoop only to edge it to wicketkeeper Rizwan. Rauf took the remaining two wickets in the final over to end the Lankan innings. They managed only 61 runs in the last 10 overs losing five wickets.