Ireland lost to Sri Lanka by 41 runs in Florida in their final warm-up match before the T20 World Cup opener against India on Wednesday.
Josh Little and Barry McCarthy both took two wickets as Sri Lanka posted 163-8 in Lauderhill, with Angelo Mathews top-scoring with an unbeaten 32.
In Ireland’s reply, Andrew Balbirnie and skipper Paul Stirling put on 39 for the opening wicket inside five overs but Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera dismissed both openers within four balls.
Ireland’s best partnership after that was a paltry 25 but that was ended by Dasun Shanaka bowling George Dockrell which left Ireland on 94-5 after 11.3 overs.
Shanaka, who had earlier dismissed Harry Tector with Mathews taking the catch, played the key role in wrapping up the Irish innings as he also claimed the wickets of Mark Adair and McCarthy to finish with impressive bowling figures of 4-23.
Curtis Camper top-scored for the Irish with 26 before he was trapped lbw by Theekshana to leave them 116-8 after 16.3 overs as any slim hopes of them reaching Sri Lanka’s total evaporated.
Ireland face India in their opener in the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Long Island on Wednesday, with Sri Lanka beginning their campaign against South Africa at the same venue two days earlier.
