Australian openers David Warner and Aaron Finch scored half-centuries in a stunning 10-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the first T20 International in Colombo on Tuesday. Chasing just 129 for victory, the visitors eased to 134-0 in 14 overs as a paceman from Josh Hazlewood bowled the hosts out for 128 in 19.3 overs.
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Australia, defending champions, 2022. preparing for T20 World The Cup is to take place on home soil later this year.
Earlier, Australia captain Finch won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat first in the rain-hit Colombo.
Warner hit nine fours in his unbeaten 70 off 44 balls while Finch hit four fours and four sixes in his unbeaten 61 off 40 balls.
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Warner and Finch scored 59 runs in the first six overs and attacked Sri Lanka’s leading bowlers Wanindu Hasaranga and Mahesh Thekshana, who took six for 52 between them.
Dushmantha Chameera conceded 48 runs in her four overs for the hosts.
Earlier, Josh Hazlewood took three wickets in the 14th over and the middle-order batting collapsed in the first three T20Is.
The in-form pacer finished with a scintillating 4-16 performance in his four overs and picked up the wickets of Danushka Gunathilaka (26), Kusal Mendis (1), Bhanuka Rajapakse (0) and skipper Dasun Shanaka (0).
Hazlewood was well supported by his new-ball teammate Mitchell Starc, who dismissed opener Pathum Nissenka for 36 off 31 balls to finish the hosts’ lower order with 3-26 in his four tight overs. cleaned for
Sri Lanka’s top three batsmen gave the hosts a steady start and took the team to 100 for two in the first 12 overs.
None of the top three – Nisanka, Gunathilaka and Charit Aslanka – were able to sustain in the closing overs.
Starc dismissed Hasranga, who tried to lead the lower-order battle with 17 off 15 balls, along with Chameera (1).
The hosts also lost Aslanka and Chamika Karunaratne to run outs and were dismissed for three balls in the allotted 20 overs.
Australia is also playing five One Day Internationals and two Test matches during the Sri Lanka tour that ends on 12 July.
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