Hasaranga, Theekshana star in Ireland's collapse

Wanindu Hasaranga pulled up after delivering his second ball with a suspected hamstring issue. He still got through his four overs, barely completing his action but still limped his way to match-winning figures of 3 for 25 from his four overs as Sri Lanka began their home World Cup campaign with a fairly comfortable win over Ireland, their 11th straight victory against the Irish in the format.

On a surface that gripped and turned at the R Premadasa Stadium, Sri Lanka's batters huffed and puffed their way to 163 for 6, an innings that felt inadequate for long stretches before Kamindu Mendis' pyrotechnics in the death breathed life into it. Ireland threatened to run them close in the chase for a brief while but ultimately fell short by 20 runs, unable to force the pace against Sri Lanka's potent spin attack, with Maheesh Theekshana adding a three-fer of his own to complement Hasaranga's valiant efforts.

Before their bowlers could take charge, Sri Lanka produced an innings of two halves after opting to bat first: cautious accumulation strangled by Ireland's spinners, followed by a late explosion that left the visitors wondering what might have been had their fielders not spilled many crucial chances.

Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara began with intent, the latter fortunate to survive two lives in Barry McCarthy's chaotic over. But after adding 28 in the four overs, Mark Adair's slower ball eventually did for Mishara, a tame push to mid-off ending his charmed stay. Kusal Mendis got going with three fours off a Barry McCarthy over as Sri Lanka got to an even 50 after the PowerPlay.

Then came the squeeze. Matthew Humphreys, opening the bowling with his flat left-arm darts, had set the tone with a miserly first over. Now, George Dockrell and Gareth Delany deployed their spin web from both ends, and the boundaries dried up. Nissanka and Kusal Mendis picked ones and twos, rotating the strike with increasing desperation. The scoreboard ticked over in singles, a frustrating procession that saw 56 deliveries pass without a boundary.

Nissanka (24 off 23) tried to break free but only succeeded in cutting Dockrell to extra cover where Paul Stirling gobbled it up. When Pavan Rathnayake attempted an inexplicable ramp shot against Dockrell's arm ball and was bowled middle stump, Sri Lanka were 71 for 3 in the 11th over. The boundary drought was eventually ended in the 16th over – with a Kamindu Mendis reverse sweep.

The 17th over changed everything. Matthew Humphreys disappeared for 21 runs, a six-ball sequence that saw as many as three catches go down as Ireland floundered in the field undoing all the good work from earlier. The return of pace didn't help matters as Barry McCarthy's 19th over was carnage of a different kind: 19 runs, two wickets, and a chaotic 11-ball sequence featuring wides, no-balls, and a beamer. Kamindu (44 off 19) holed out, as did Dasun Shanaka first ball, but the damage was done. Mark Adair's tight final over (nine runs) was a mere footnote. Sri Lanka had plundered 59 in the last four overs, turning 104 for 3 into 163 for 6.

The flourish proved crucial as Ireland made a steady beginning with a 45-run PowerPlay with Ross Adair making a bright start. But once he fell to a Hasaranga googly, the Ireland chase followed a similar pattern through the middle overs as boundaries became hard to come by. Still at 105 for 2 in the 15th over, with Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker building steadily, there was still hope. Then another spinner, Dunith Wellalage, opened the floodgates by getting Tucker to miscue to long-on.

Hasaranga then returned to have Tector hole out to deep mid-wicket before Theekshana knocked over Benjamin Calitz and George Delany off successive balls. Ireland collapsed to lose 8 for 38 and were bowled out with a ball to spare, giving Sri Lanka the two points they needed to get their campaign purring.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 163/6 in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 56, Kamindu Mendis 44; George Dockrell 2-20) beat Ireland 143 in 19.5 overs (Harry Tector 40; Wanindu Hasaranga 3-25, Maheesh Theekshana 3-23) by 20 runs