Watch: Kusal Mendis Takes Stunning One-Handed Catch In Opener Of 20-20 World Cup
Kusal Mendis (source: Twitter)
Sri Lanka has begun its 20-20 World Cup campaign with a bang against Namibia. The bowlers managed to grab a few early wickets to put pressure on Namibia. The third wicket of the innings, however, belonged to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, who took a stunning catch behind the wicket to dismiss Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton.
Karunaratne bowled a slower delivery in the fifth over to deceive the batter. The ball took Eaton’s bat’s outside edge as he looked for a drive on the up. Mendis leapt to his left, almost behind him, and plucked it with one hand.
Watch Kusal Mendis’ catch here
What a catch!! pic.twitter.com/XpcxMu5MvZ
— Adam NBA (@AdamNBA5) October 16, 2022
As for the match, Namibia made a strong comeback in the game as they set up a target of 164 runs for Sri Lanka to chase down. After a dismal show from the top and middle-order batters, Jan Frylinck and JJ Smit accounted for a brilliant 70-run partnership for the seventh wicket. While the former was dismissed after scoring 44 runs in 28 deliveries, Smit remained unbeaten on 31 runs in just 16 balls.
Sri Lanka also had a bad start in the chase, losing three wickets in the powerplay. Namibia’s wreckers in chief were Ben Shikongo with two wickets and David Wiese with one. At the end of the powerplay, the Dasun Shanaka-led team could only manage 38 runs for the loss of three wickets.
The two teams will look to perform well and qualify for the super 12 stages, which begin on the 22nd of October. The Sri Lankan team will be high on confidence having beaten Pakistan and India in the recently concluded Asia Cup 2022. The island nation emerged as the winner of the inter-continental tournament.
Sri Lanka’s squad for the 20-20 World Cup
Dasun Shanaka (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera (subject to fitness), Lahiru Kumara (subject to fitness), Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan
Standby Players: Ashen Bandara, Praveen Jayawickrema, Dinesh Chandimal, Binura Fernando, Nuwanidu Fernando.
