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Mendis duo spin SL to big win
Mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis registered the best figures in World Twenty20 with a magical-haul of six wickets for eight runs to help Sri Lanka crush Zimbabwe by 82 runs in the tournament opener, in Hambantota, on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka recovered from a slow start to post a challenging 182 for four and in reply Zimbabwe were bowled out for 100 in the 18th over.
Leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis shone with both bat and ball, hitting a quickfire 43 from 30 balls and then took three wickets.
Dilshan Munaweera was handed his debut as he opened the batting with Tillakaratne Dilshan as the two openers put on 54 runs for the opening wicket in 6.3 overs before Munaweera was run out for 17.
Zimbabwe dropped a few catches
The Zimbabwe fielding was in complete shambles as they grassed a few simple catches.
Leg-spinner Graeme Cremer troubled the Lankans right from the start and had even trapped Mahela Jayawardene (13) but that ball was ruled a no-ball.
Mahela Jayawardene was the second batsman to be run out after scoring 13 from 18 balls.
Mendis-Sangakkara lift SL to safety
Kumar Sangakkara and Jeevan Mendis put on a 94-run stand to take the home team to safety.
Lanka's 100 came in the 14th over when Mendis swept a Cremer delivery to the square leg region. He provided the impetus in the closing stages, smashing 43 from 30 balls, with the help of four fours and a six.
Sangakkara lifts SL to 182
Sangakkara's 44 runs came off 26 balls with two fours and a six as Sri Lanka smashed 75 runs in the last six overs to end up on a huge total.
Two of the three sixes in Sri Lankan innings came in the last over -- one was hit Sangakkara just before getting run out and one by Thisara Perera.
Mendis starts with two wickets in his first over
Ajantha Mendis, making a comeback to international cricket after a long time, got into the act straight away with two wickets in his first over.
He started with the wicket of Zimbabwe opener Vusi Sibanda, who was bowled for 11. Captain Brendan Taylor was stumped off the very next ball as he was beaten by the carrom ball.
Zimbabwe bowled out for 100
The Zimbabwe's batting was as poor as their fielding and bowling as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Hamilton Masakadza was the top-scorer for the visitors with 20 from 23 balls but the rest of the batsmen failed to come to the party and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Ajantha Mendis tore through the Zimbabwean batting line-up, claiming six for eight in four overs, while his namesake Jeevan Mendis took three for 24.
Sri Lanka made a winning start to their campaign in the World T20 with a convincing 82-run victory against minnows Zimbabwe.