Lucknow: Australia produced a clinical show to beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in a lop-sided league game of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Monday.
The Australian team clicked collectively on a day it mattered the most after losing two back-to-back games.
Marcus Stoinis finished the game in style with a six as Australia romped home with five wickets to spare. They completed the chase in just 35.2 overs.
All-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who joined Josh Inglis, would be keen to finish off the game quickly. Maxwell hammered three boundaries in the 31st over as Australia amassed 13 runs and in the next smashed two towering sixes off Maheesh Theekshana. An Australian win was a mere formality from here as they needed 21 runs in 18 overs.
Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka grabbed his third wicket and provided Sri Lanka with a much-needed breakthrough after he sent back a set Marnus Labuschagne, who was caught by C Karunaratn. Labuschagne played his part to perfection with a 60-ball 40, in which he smashed two fours. His 77-run stand with Josh Inglis brought Australia close to victory and more importantly pulled the team out of trouble.
Josh Inglis notched up his individual fifty with a boundary off Lahiru Kumara in the 27th over. This is his maiden World Cup fifty. Australia was inching closer to the target Marnus Labuschagne also neared his fifty. Inglis was playing in a very aggressive manner. Australia need just 53 runs to achieve their first victory in the current edition of the World Cup.
Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis are playing with a positive approach as they do not have any pressure of the required run-rate. Australia now needs just 88 runs and the duo is set to see their team home.
Josh Inglis kept playing his shots as Australia raced to 106/3 after 19 overs. He along with Marnus Labuschagne have so far added 25 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket. The Aussies need just 104 runs for a win and the required run rate is just 3.37 runs per over.
The two batters Labuschagne and Inglis would be hoping to romp their team home as quickly as possible to strengthen the team's net run- rate, which is in doldrums.
Mitchell Marsh, who had taken the Sri Lankan attack to task, was run out by C Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis as Sri Lanka heaved a sigh of relief. Marsh, who was looking aggressive, was dismissed on 52. He hammered nine boundaries in his 51-ball knock. Josh Inglis joined Marnus Labuschagne in the middle and he stated off with two successive boundaries. The Aussies need another 121 runs for a win.
Mitchell Marsh notched up his individual fifty in the 12th over even as Marnus Labuschagne was playing second fiddle. Australia needs another 134 runs for a win.
Mitchell Marsh, who has so far struck nine boundaries, neared his individual fifty even as Australia was comfortably poised at 64/2 after 10 overs.
- 7.37 pm
After two back-to-back wickets, the Aussies are trying to get back into the game to score first two points on the points-table. Marsh-Labuschagne bring the score to 50. - 7.16 pm
Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka was breathing fire as he trapped Steve Smith for a duck and picked up his second wicket of the second over. Australia was in a spot of bother at 24/2. Marnus Labuschagne joined Mitchell Marsh in the middle.
Pacer Dilshan Madushanka drew the first blood for Sri Lanka as he trapped Australian opener David Warner in front of the wickets. The opener, who is struggling, unsuccessfully reviewed the decision. Australia lost their first wicket for 24.
Australian openers David Warner and Mitchell Marsh provided the side a positive start. Australia was chasing 210 to register their first win of this tournament.
There was some delay in the start of the Australian innings as it was raining once again. The pitch has been covered for now and no overs have been lost. Meanwhile, strong winds caused several hoardings to fall from the roof of the Ekana Stadium on to the seats below during the World Cup match between Australia and Sri Lanka. After rain stopped play for a bit, there was a dust storm and heavy winds led to several iron angles with branding material from the roof falling on people sitting at the lower levels.
Charith Asalanka (25 off 39 balls) was the last man to be dismissed as Glenn Maxwell took his wicket. He gave a sitter to Marnus Labuschagne as the Sri Lankan side was bowled out for 209 in 43.3 overs. Adam Zampa, who returned with figures of 4/47, was the pick of the bowlers for Australia.
Mitchell Starc bowled Lahiru Kumara (4), who was the ninth man to be dismissed. Earlier, there was no stopping Adam Zampa, who was on a roll. He took his fourth wicket after he trapped Maheesh Theekshana in front of the wickets for a duck as Sri Lanka lost its eighth wicket.
5.38 pm
Adam Zampa trapped C Karunaratne (2 off 11 balls) in front of the wickets in the 38th over as Sri Lanka lost their seventh wicket. They slipped from 157/2 to 198/7 as they lost wickets in a heap.
Dinuth Wellalage was run out on the fifth ball of the 34th over by rival skipper Pat Cummins. Wellalage was dismissed was just three even as Sri Lanka lost their sixth wicket for 184. C Karunaratne joined C Asalanka in the middle.
Mitchell Starc cleaned up Dhananjaya de Silva (7 off 12 balls) immediately after play resumed following a brief halt due to a drizzle. Sri Lanka failed to capitalise on a strong start provided by their openers and have lost half the side now. Australia has made a strong comeback into the game. Dinuth Wellalage joined Charith Asalanka in the middle.
Rain has halted play at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium between Australia and Sri Lanka due to a drizzle. Sri Lanka is poised at 178/4 after 32.1 overs when rain stopped play. The pitch is covered now.
Adam Zampa then struck twice, first by removing wicket-keeper-batter Kusal Mendis (9 off 13 balls), who was caught by David Warner and then sending back Sadeera Samarawickrama (8 off 8 balls) in the 30th over. Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva have a job on their hands to ensure that the Asian side crosses at least the 250-run mark. Adam Zampa, who has four overs left, will be the key bowler for Pat Cummins.
- 4.08 pm
Kusal Perera went for a big shot down the ground but completely missed the line and length of the ball as he had to walk back to the pavilion on 78 off 82 with 12 boundaries. - 4.01 pm
Century Partnerships versus Australia in World Cups:
1975 to 2015
Gooch-Botham (107) 1992
ABD-Smith (160) 2007
2019-2023
Rohit-Dhawan (127) 2019
Karunaratne-Perera (115) 2019
Bairstow-Roy (124) 2019
QDK-Bavuma (108) 2023
Nissanka-Perera (125) 2023 - 3.51 pm
After trying his all bowling options, Pat Cummins himself took the ball and gave a much-needed breakthrough for Australia. Pathum Nissanka went for a pull shot but couldn't time it properly as it went straight to the hands of David Warner. Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis walks into bat at number 3. - 3.41 pm
Pat Cummins is searching for a wicket he brings Josh Hazlewood back into the attack. But Nissanka welcomed him with a boundary on the second ball of the over. - 3.31 pm
Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera completed their respective fifties. Sri Lanka batters put their team in the driver's seat. Australia's still looking for the wicket to get back in the game. - 3.21 pm
Australia has used as many as six bowlers, including spinners Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell, in the first 17 overs but still is unable to break the opening partnership, which is now four short of a hundred-run stand. - 3.04 pm
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera are toying with the Australian attack and are nearing the 100-run stand. The openers have laid the foundation for a big score. - 2.45 pm
Both the batters have played very sensibly and without taking any risks to stitch the fifty-run partnership. Australia got one chance when Pathum Nissanka edged Maxwell's off-spin delivery to wicketkeeper Inglis who didn't manage to grab it. - 2.38 pm
Australian captain Pat Cummins is looking for a wicket as he introduced Glenn Maxwell, a spinner in the first ten overs. and he almost produced the wicket for Australia but wicketkeeper Josh Inglis dropped a difficult catch behind the wicket. - 2.31 pm
The second warning from Mitchell Starc to Kusal Perera is to stay in the crease at non-striker end but Parera is only dealing with boundaries. - 2.21 pm
Kusal Perera smashed two back-to-back boundaries against Hazlewood. Parera hammered the short pitch to the extra cover and then played off the drive for four accumulating eight runs came from the fourth over. - 2.16 pm
Mitchell Starc gets his line and length right in the second over. A couple of deliveries went close to the edge of the bat. Just three runs come from it. - 2.11 pm
Hazlewood bowls the first maiden of the match. He was right on the money from the word go not letting the batter free their arms. Just one run came from his over that too off a leg-bye. - 2.06 pm
Australia lost their review on the very first ball of the innings bowled by Mitchell Starc. Full length delivery swung back into the right-handed batter but the ball was clearly hitting the bat. Mitchell Starc has also given one warning to Kusal Parera asking him to stay in the crease at the nonstriker's end until the ball is not bowled. Nine runs came from the first over. - 2.00 pm
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera are opening the innings for Sri Lanka while Mitchell Starc will start for Australia.
Playing XI:
Sri Lanka:Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis(w/c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka
Australia:Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins(c), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
