Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka hailed Kamindu Mendis’ explosive cameo as the defining moment of their 20-run victory over Ireland in a T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday, saying the left-hander made batting look effortless on a difficult surface.

Also Read: T20 World Cup: All-round brilliance from Sri Lanka secure 20-run win over Ireland

With Sri Lanka struggling for momentum, Kamindu smashed a brisk 44 off just 19 balls to lift the hosts to a competitive 163 for six. The total proved decisive as Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga delivered disciplined spells to seal a strong start to Sri Lanka’s campaign.

“It was a well-earned victory and I’m very happy with the overall performance,” Shanaka said after the match. “The start was tough, but Kusal (Mendis) held the innings together and Kamindu’s cameo was the turning point.

“He batted like he was playing on a completely different wicket. I’m really happy with his comeback and expect a lot from him in the coming games. I thought the pitch would be flatter with the grass left on it, and initially felt the toss would be crucial. But it slowed down in the second phase, which worked in our favour.”

Shanaka also revealed that Hasaranga, who picked up three wickets, was managing a minor hamstring concern.

“The confidence of the bowling unit carried over from the last game. Wanindu had a small hamstring issue, but hopefully it’s nothing serious. Maheesh bowled really well in the middle overs,” he added.

Player of the Match Kamindu Mendis said the pitch played slower than expected and that a target of 160 felt defendable once the spinners came into play.

“We initially thought it would be a 170-plus wicket, but while batting against the spinners it felt like around 160,” Kamindu said. “Credit goes to our bowlers, Maheesh and Chameera bowled very well. We just wanted to put 160 on the board and defend it, and it worked. It’s a good start to the tournament.”

Ireland skipper Paul Stirling felt his side conceded crucial extra runs and admitted that a lack of experience cost them at key moments.

“To be honest, it felt like they got 15–20 runs too many. At the start of the day, we’d have taken chasing that total,” Stirling said. “You could find those extra 20 runs anywhere in the match.

“When the game was on the line, we weren’t as clinical. We were a bit sloppy in the field and experience showed. They defended really well at the back end, put the squeeze on and that made the difference.”