Kumar Sangakkara Sends Records Tumbling, Sri Lanka Cruise and More from Day 26
Kumar Sangakkara's fourth consecutive century led Sri Lanka to a 148-run victory over Scotland at the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Hobart on Wednesday.
After cruising to hundreds in his classical style against Bangladesh, England and Australia, Sangakkara used a more brutal exhibition of stroke play against the Scots to make it four on the trot at this World Cup.
Aided by a rapid 104 from Tillakaratne Dilshan and a 20-ball half-century from Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka amassed a total of 363 for nine from their 50 overs—a number that always looked too great for the chasing side.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Indeed, Scotland found themselves in early trouble at 44 for three following the dismissals of Kyle Coetzer, Calum MacLeod and Matt Machan inside 12 overs, before half-centuries from Preston Mommsen and Freddie Coleman temporarily arrested the slide.
But trailing the required run rate throughout the innings, Scotland crumbled toward the end, collapsing from 162 for three to 215 all out as their winless run at this World Cup continued.
Sangakkara's Record-Breaking Day
In his previous match against Australia, Sangakkara had already become the first man in history to record three consecutive centuries at the Cricket World Cup.
On Wednesday, he extended that record to four and, in doing so, became the first man ever to reach centuries in four consecutive one-day internationals.
Additionally, with a pair of catches in Scotland's innings, the veteran took his World Cup dismissal tally with the gloves to 54, breaking Adam Gilchrist's record of 53.
Shot of the Day
Though some of Sangakkara's stroke play was delightful on Wednesday, his captain, Mathews, put on a brief but remarkable display of hitting to help Sri Lanka move into another gear.
Undoubtedly the highlight was his savage assault on Machan, when the right-hander blasted four consecutive sixes off the spinner to bring up the fastest-ever half-century by a Sri Lankan at the World Cup.
Frankly, it was hard to separate the four of them.
Delivery of the Day
Nuwan Kulasekara produced a beautiful in-swinger to remove MacLeod for 11 in the eighth over:
Catch of the Day
Pool A
| New Zealand | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | +3.090 |
| Sri Lanka | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | +0.371 |
| Australia | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +1.597 |
| Bangladesh | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +0.211 |
| England | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.001 |
| Afghanistan | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.881 |
| Scotland | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.769 |
Reaction
Thursday's Schedule
Thursday at the World Cup sees action in Pool B resume, with South Africa taking on the United Arab Emirates at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
After suffering defeat to Pakistan, the Proteas will be looking for a strong victory to secure second spot in the group ahead of the quarter-finals.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
