Sri Lanka have won their opening match in the ICC Cricket World Cup. At the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota yesterday, the co-hosts beat Canada by 210 runs in a Group A match. Sri Lanka rattled up a huge 332 for seven after winning the toss and then scuttled out the minnows for just 122 runs, with 13.1 overs to spare. For Canada, Rizwan Cheema was the top scorer with 37. Only four of their batsmen could mange the double digit score. In the Sri Lankan innings, Man of the Match Mahela Jayawardene plundered 100 runs off just 81 deliveries, which was his second World Cup ton and also his 12th ODI hundred. It was also the fastest century by a Sri Lankan in World Cup. Skipper Kumar Sangakkara struck 92 after Tillakaratne Dilshan kick-started his team's campaign with a solid half-century. Earlier, in another Group A fixture at the M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, New Zealand crushed minnows Kenya by 10 wickets. It was the second fastest win in the history of the tournament. Both the innings put together lasted a mere 31.5 overs. After bowling out Kenya for 69 runs, the Kiwis took just 49 balls to overhaul the target. In today's only match of the World Cup, defending champions Australia meet Zimbabwe at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Amedabad.
News On AIR | February 21, 2011 8:44 AM
Sri Lanka beat Canada; N Zealand crush Kenya in their opening matches