Cricket World Cup 2015 Results: Updated Groups After Latest Pool A Fixture

Kumar Sangakkara became the first man ever to score four consecutive centuries in one-day international cricket, per ESPN Cricinfo, as another magnificent knock helped Sri Lanka to a comfortable 148-run win over Scotland at the 2015 World Cup.

The 2011 runners-up piled on the runs after batting first, with Sangakkara (124) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (104) the standout men in a total of 363 for nine from their 50 overs. It was always going to be a tough one for the Scots to chase down, and despite a fine 70 from Freddie Coleman, they could only muster 215 in response.

Here’s how that match impacts the Pool A standings, a look at the remaining schedule for this year’s competition and a closer examination of a fine performance from Sri Lanka.

Points Tables

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Pool A

	Team	Played	Won	Lost	R/R	Points
1	New Zealand	5	5	0	3.09	10
2	Sri Lanka	6	4	2	0.37	8
3	Australia	5	3	1	1.60	7
4	Bangladesh	5	3	1	0.21	7
5	England	5	1	4	-1.00	2
6	Afghanistan	5	1	4	-1.88	2
7	Scotland	5	0	5	-1.77	0

Pool B

	Team	Played	Won	Lost	R/R	Points
1	India	5	5	0	2.16	10
2	South Africa	5	3	2	1.46	6
3	Pakistan	5	3	2	-0.19	6
4	Ireland	5	3	2	-1.01	6
5	West Indies	5	2	3	-0.51	4
6	Zimbabwe	5	1	4	-0.60	2
7	United Arab Emirates	4	0	4	-1.69	0

Upcoming Schedule

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ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Fixtures

Pool Matches

Mar. 12 Pool B: South Africa vs. United Arab Emirates, Wellington (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 13 Pool A: Bangladesh v New Zealand, Hamilton (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 13 Pool A: England v Afghanistan, Sydney (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 14 Pool B: India v Zimbabwe, Auckland (d/n) (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 14 Pool A: Australia v Scotland, Hobart (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 15 Pool B: West Indies v United Arab Emirates, Napier (10 p.m. GMT, Mar. 14)

Mar. 15 Pool B: Pakistan v Ireland, Adelaide (d/n) (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Quarter-Finals

Mar. 18 Quarter-final 1, A1 v B4, Sydney (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 19 Quarter-final 2, A2 v B3, Melbourne (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 20 Quarter-final 3, A3 v B2, Adelaide (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 21 Quarter-final 4, A4 v B1, Wellington (1 a.m. GMT)

Semi-Finals

Mar. 24 Semi-final 1, Winner QF1 v Winner QF3, Auckland (1 a.m. GMT)

Mar. 26 Semi-final 2, Winner QF2 v Winner QF4, Sydney (3:30 a.m. GMT)

Final

Mar. 29 Final, Melbourne (4:30 a.m. BST) 

Schedule courtesy of BBC Sport.

Superb Sangakkara Sets Up Sri Lanka Victory

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Sri Lanka (363/9) beat Scotland (215) by 148 runs

Kumar Sangakkara scored his fourth century in his last four matches at the 2015 Cricket World Cup, setting Sri Lanka on their way to a 148-run win over a valiant Scotland team at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

The 37-year-old made his 124 from just 95 balls, as he and Tillakaratne Dilshan—who made a fine 104 himself—took the game away from the Scots with a thrilling 195-run partnership. A late flurry of 51 from 21 balls from Angelo Mathews helped push Sri Lanka to an imposing total of 363 for nine.

It was always going to be a total beyond a Scotland team that have failed to win a game at this World Cup, and although Freddie Coleman bagged a diligent 70, they were always behind the rate and finished well short on 215.

For Sri Lanka, Sangakkara was the star of the show once again, as the wicketkeeper’s latest innings sent even more records tumbling. As we can see here courtesy of BBC Test Match Special, he’s a very special player indeed:

"

It's fair to say that Kumar Sangakkara is in pretty good nick at the moment http://t.co/7sez0lIgJH #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/Zl1M2oBPL4

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) March 11, 2015"

"

Yet another record for Sangakkara;the first person to 500 ODI dismissals, and he's passed @gilly381's WC record of 52 pic.twitter.com/8v1BipoSWC

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) March 11, 2015"

He seems to thrive when playing alongside Dilshan, too, and after Scotland snaffled the wicket of Lahiru Thirimanne early on, they were both at the crease together in just the sixth over. While Scottish spirits were naturally buoyed by that early strike, the majestic stroke play of the Sri Lanka duo soon put paid to that.

As noted by Cricket Record, the pair both love playing in Hobart:

"

Dilshan & Sangakkara each has scored 2 ODI centuries at Bellerive Oval, Hobart. the most by anyone in ODIs at the ground. #CWC15 #SLvSCO

— Cricket Record (@cricinfo_record) March 11, 2015"

Their delectable array of shot-making pushed Sri Lanka toward a massive total, and when Dilshan eventually departed in the 35th over and Jayawardene fell cheaply two overs later, the stage was set for skipper Mathews to come in and make some brisk runs at the end of the innings; he didn't disappoint.

His scintillating 51 off 21 balls contained one four and six towering sixes. As noted by OptaJim, it was an almost unprecedentedly fast half-century from the captain:

"

20 - Angelo Mathews' 20 ball 50 is the 2nd fastest by a Sri Lankan in ODI history (fastest in the CWC). Rapid.

— OptaJim (@OptaJim) March 11, 2015"

After he was eventually caught out—on the back of four consecutive sixes, no less—Sri Lanka still had six overs to go and were going well on 326 for six. But credit must go to the death bowling of the Scottish players, who were able to restrict their opponents to an eventual score of 363 for nine.

It would have been some chase from the Scots, and after Kyle Coetzer’s magnificent century against Bangladesh, they would have felt as if they had an outside chance. But when he departed for a duck from just the second ball of the innings, any lingering hopes were obliterated.

Scotland lost a couple more quick wickets early in the innings to plunge them into massive trouble at 44 for three, and it looked set to be an easy day’s work for Sri Lanka. But a determined partnership of 118 from Coleman and Preston Mommsen ensured that Scotland were going to make their illustrious opponents work hard for their win.

Fox Sports Cricket paid tribute to Coleman after his brisk half-century:

"

FIFTY for Freddie Coleman! Well batted. http://t.co/CBmJ128jVE #SLvSCO #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/1UCrsjRR8o

— FOX SPORTS Cricket (@FOXCricketLive) March 11, 2015"

But the Scots lost both men in quick succession, and with the rate spiralling out of control, the game was poised to meander to a close. Eventually Scotland were bowled out for 215.

Sri Lanka are going to be a very dangerous side in the quarter-finals. In Sangakkara, they have a man who is undeniably the finest limited-overs batsman in the world at the moment and an exemplary, aggressive opener in Dilshan too.

Sangakkara admitted in the aftermath of the match that he's still going retire from ODI cricket at the end of the tournament despite his unbelievable form, per Gerard Whateley of ABC:

"

Sangakkara confirms he'll retire from ODI post #CWC15 "It's not about form, it's about time and place and what you think is right"

— Gerard Whateley (@GerardWhateley) March 11, 2015"

Those players are capable of carrying Sri Lanka through matches, but if they’re to be considered serious contenders for the title, they need to improve on the bowling front. They’ve badly missed the subtle spin variations of Rangana Herath in the previous two matches and need to find a way of strangling teams in the middle overs of their batting effort.