Sri Lanka opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan looked forward to more bowling opportunities in the World Cup after taking 4-4 against Zimbabwe in a Group A match on Thursday.
Dilshan also scored 144 off 131 balls in a challenging total of 327-6 and then took four wickets with gentle offspinners as Zimbabwe lost 10 wickets for 72 runs before being bowled out for 188 in 39 overs.
Sri Lanka, with seven points from five matches, became the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals from its group. Sri Lanka played only one specialist spinner in Muttiah Muralitharan, giving Dilshan a chance to turn his arm over against Zimbabwe.
He missed a rare hat trick when Mahela Jayawardene could not hold on to a low catch at slip. "I knew that we had just one spinner today, so I got an opportunty and I delivered it for my team and for my captain," Dilshan said.
"I look forward to more bowling in future matches." Zimbabwe made a brave attempt at the target with Brendan Taylor scoring 80 at better than run-a-ball and sharing a 116-run stand off 119 balls with Regis Chakabva (35).
Muralitharan's "doosra" clipped the off stump of Chekabva in the 20th over. Five overs later, Taylor offered a tame catch at midwicket off medium-fast bowler Angelo Mathews.
"They started well but we were not worried because we knew that after 15 overs the ball will get old and Murali can turn it," Dilshan said. Dilshan then had Prosper Utseya out leg before wicket, before claiming Craig Ervine and Greg Lamb off successive deliveries in his second over as Zimbabwe slipped to 156-6.
Despite missing the hat trick when Graeme Cremer was dropped by Jayawardene, Dilshan said he enjoyed bowling. He was also unaware of Sri Lanka's highest individual World Cup score of 145 made by Aravinda de Silva against Kenya at the 1996 World Cup.
"After I got out, somebody told me in the dressing room that had I got one more run I would have that record," Dilshan said. "It was the 45th over and nobody came out and gave message to me."
"But I am never in the hunt for records. I always play for my team and want to score as many runs as possible."
After being sent in to bat by Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura, Dilshan put on 282-run opening stand with Upul Tharanga (133) off 269 balls that gave Sri Lanka a strong total to defend. Dilshan said the team needed more such starts in the future World Cup matches.
"We need a good opening partnership in every match," he said. "If we get a good start and score more than 270 or 250 we can defend that total with our bowling attack."
Sri Lanka plays its last group match against New Zealand at Mumbai on March 18.
