Nissanka century earns Sri Lanka Cricket World Cup berth

Sri Lanka moves to eight points in the Super Six stage of the preliminary tournament and cannot finish outside of the top two teams, who both earn a place at the finals which will be played from Oct. 5-Nov. 19

FILE PHOTO: Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka celebrates after scoring a half-centurywith Dimuth Karunaratne during a one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. | Photo Credit: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/ AFP

Pathum Nissanka scored an unbeaten 101 as Sri Lanka booked its place at the 50-over Cricket World Cup in India with a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over hosts Zimbabwe in their qualifier in Bulawayo on Sunday.

Sri Lanka moves to eight points in the Super Six stage of the preliminary tournament and cannot finish outside of the top two teams, who both earn a place at the finals which will be played from Oct. 5-Nov. 19.

Zimbabwe has six points and remain in contention, but must beat Scotland (four points) in its final game on Tuesday to make sure.

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Sri Lanka chose to field first and restricted Zimbabwe to 165 all out in 32.2 overs as off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana claimed career-best figures of 4-25 and Dilshan Madushanka took 3-15.

Sri Lanka never looked troubled in its reply and reached the target with 101 balls remaining as Nissanka bagged his second One-Day International century from 102 balls to guide his side to victory.

“We knew with the team we have got, we were going to qualify for the World Cup,” Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said at the post-match presentation.

“Credit to the other teams, they played really well in the tournament. Some teams gave us a good fight but we were the better side.

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“It’s a big achievement (to qualify for the World Cup) and you know what we have done in the past in World Cups. It is a much-needed thing for Sri Lanka to play on that big stage.”

Sri Lanka has appeared at every World Cup and was victorious in 1996 as it beat Australia in the final.

Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams says it will take the result on the chin and look forward to playing Scotland. “I don’t think we need to prepare any differently from what we have been doing in this tournament,” he said. “We have been playing some very good cricket. Sri Lanka was just much better than us today.”

Two-time winners West Indies has failed to qualify for the first time after it lost to Scotland in its qualifier in Harare on Saturday.