INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Sri Lanka powered into the Super Six stage of the Cricket World Cup qualifying tournament with a crushing 133-run win over Ireland on Sunday
that eliminated their opponents.The result also guaranteed Scotland and Oman will join Sri Lanka in progressing from Group B.Opener Dimuth
Karunaratne made a run-a-ball 103 and Sadeera Samarawickrama hit 82 as Sri Lanka compiled an imposing total of 325 all out off 49.5 overs
78 runs in eight wicketless overs.Karunaratne and Samarawickrama put on 168 for the third wicket after Kusal Mendis was trapped lbw first
ball by McCarthy.Charith Asalanka (38) and Dhananjaya de Silva (42 not out) also chipped in as Ireland sought to limit the damage in the
closing overs.Ireland needed a victory to keep their qualification hopes alive, but they lost experienced opener Paul Stirling for six and
before Wanindu Hasaranga pinned Harry Tector in front for 33.Curtis Campher, who made a century in the gut-wrenching loss to Scotland,
briefly countered in his knock of 39 but once he top-edged to the wicketkeeper Ireland were all but doomed.Hasaranga finished with 5-79,
giving the Sri Lankan leg-spinner 16 wickets in three qualifiers so far in Zimbabwe.Source - AFP-Agencies
