Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga equals Waqar Younis record for five-wicket hauls

Wanindu Hasaranga equalled Waqar Younis’ record of consecutive five-wicket hauls in one-day internationals as Sri Lanka ended Ireland’s chances of reaching the World Cup.

The leg-spinner took 5-79 to lead his side to another hefty win at the Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.

He started the tournament with six against the UAE, then took five more against Oman, before doing similar against the Irish.

Three successive five-fors matches the record held by Waqar for Pakistan in matches against New Zealand and West Indies in 1990.

Hasaranga will get one more chance to better the record in the group phase of the Qualifier, when Sri Lanka face Scotland in the final game in Bulawayo on Tuesday.

The two sides will be vying for top spot in the group, as well as two more crucial points to take through to the Super Six phase.

Scotland beat Oman by 76 runs in the other match in the group on Sunday, meaning they – like Sri Lanka – have won their first three matches in the competition.

Despite Hasaranga’s excellence with the ball, Dimuth Karunaratne was named player of the match after his maiden ODI century laid the platform for Sri Lanka’s 133-run win over the Irish.

“I don’t get nervous in Tests because I have scored hundreds before,” Karunaratne said.

“I just want to apply the same methods I use in Test cricket. It helped me a lot because I was scoring heavily in Test cricket.

“I used the same approach here: time the ball, run hard, and maybe that is why I have had success. Now I know how to get a hundred.”

There's no stopping Dimuth Karunaratne's dream run upon his ODI return