Thaindian News

Pallekele (Sri Lanka), March 10 (IANS) Openers Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan set a World Cup record for the first-wicket as Sri Lanka scored 327 for six in 50 overs in their Group A match against Zimbabwe here Thursday.

Tharanga (133) and Dilshan (144) piled up 282 runs for the first wicket after they were put in by Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. They broke the record of 194 runs set by Pakistan openers Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti in the 1999 World Cup.

Tharanga and Dilshan got their centuries in contrasting styles. Dilshan got to his hundred in 95 balls while Tharanga got it in 122 balls.

Dilshan played aggressively right from the start while Tharanga played a patient innings and waited for the bad balls.

The duo were well set to carry their bat through, but Zimbabwe paceman Chris Mpofu struck in the 45th over to remove Tharanga caught by Chigumbura to break the partnership, which fell four runs short of the all-time best first-wicket stand of 286 set by Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya against England in Leeds in 2006.

In the next over, spinner Prosper Usteya struck to remove Dilshan caught by Tinashe Panyangara. Dilshan hit 16 fours and a six in his 131 ball knock while Tharanga struck 17 fours in his 141 ball innings.

After the openers departed, the flow of runs slowed and Sri Lankan 300 came at the end of over-47. Mpofu picked up three wickets in the 48th over and ended with figures of four for 62 from his seven overs.