All-rounder Marcus Stoinis’ quick half-century and his 69-run partnership with captain Aaron Finch helped defending champions Australia register a crucial seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their Group 1, Super 12 match. Tuesday in Perth. With this win, Australia are fourth on the points table with two points, one place below Asian champions Sri Lanka, who are in third place with two points.
Chasing 158, Australia did not get a chance to hit boundaries easily as the Sri Lankan bowlers troubled them with their line and length. It was more than four overs when opener David Warner was caught by skipper Dasun Shanaka trying to drive. Spinner Mahesh Thekshana had given Lanka their first wicket for 26 runs and the southeast returned to the pavilion after scoring 11 runs off 10 balls.
Mitchell Marsh is also at the crease along with captain Aaron Finch. Australia ended the powerplay without hitting a single boundary or six for the first time in their T20I history. Australia were 33/1 in six overs, with Marsh (1*) and Finch (9*) at the crease.
On the second ball of the 8th over, Marsh broke the boundary drought with a four and a six off Vanindu Hasaranga. With that six, Australia crossed the 50-run mark in the 8th over.
Finch also loosened his hand in the first ball of the next over, launching a big slog at wide-long on. When it looked like the Aussies were going fast, Marsh caught Bhanuka Rajapaksa at long off. Dhananjay de Silva dismissed Marsh for 17 runs in 17 balls. Australia were at 60/2 in 8.3 overs this time.
Joined by Glenn Maxwell Finch. He spoke in favor of Australia by hitting Hasranga for two sixes and a four in the 10th over, giving a total of 19 runs. At the end of 10 overs, Australia were 85/2 with Maxwell (22*) and Finch (23*) on the side.
Maxwell had breathed life into the game, but in the 12th over, he suffered a neck injury. In the next over, Chamika Karunaratne took her wicket when Ashen Bandara caught him near the boundary rope. The all-rounder was dismissed for 23 off 12 balls, leaving the Aussies reduced to 89/3 in 12.2 overs.
Then there was Marcus Stoinis at the crease. Australia crossed the 100-run mark in 13.4 overs. Finch kept one end steady with his patience, while Stoinis smashed Shanaka and Hasranga for fours and sixes with ease. Hasranga, a star for SL, while it was the worst of it all, was dismissed for 19 in his 15th over.
At the end of 15 overs, Australia were on 126/3, with Finch (27*) and Stoinis (34*) at the crease. Stoinis continued to attack the Lankan bowlers and shared a 50-run stand in 20 balls. He completed his fifty in just 17 balls, which is the fastest by an Australian player in T20I history.
The pair helped Australia win the match with 21 balls to spare and seven wickets in hand. Australia finished on 158/3 in 16.3 overs, with Stoinis scoring 59* in just 18 balls with four fours and six sixes and Finch remaining unbeaten on 31* off 42 balls at the other end. Both shared a partnership of 69 runs in just 25 balls.
Teekshana, Dhananjaya, Karunaratne took one wicket each for Sri Lanka.
Earlier, the Australian bowlers made an impressive comeback after a 69-run stand for the second wicket between Pathum Nisanka and Dhananjay de Silva, helping Sri Lanka to a modest score of 157/6 in their Group I Super 12 match of the ICC T20 World Cup. brought on. Perth on Tuesday.
The 69-run stand for the second wicket between Nissenka (40) and de Silva (26) put the Lankans in good stead but the Aussies took advantage of the Lankan tendency to hit loose shots and bounced back with some early wickets. However, Charit Aslanka (38*) made sure their side ended on a good note.
With Australia to bat first, Sri Lanka were dealt a major blow when pacer Pat Cummins sent in-form opener Kusal Mendis back for just 5 runs off 6 balls when the batsman wrongly deflected a pull attempt. Stopped that went straight into the hands of Michelle Marsh. Midwicket area. Sri Lanka was 6/1.
Thereafter, openers Pathum Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva joined forces and kept the scoreboard ticking with some careful strike rotation and at least one boundary per over. However, in the later stages of the power-play, the Australian bowlers gave some extra due to some poor bowling.
At the end of the power-play, Sri Lanka were on 36/1, with de Silva (6*) and Nissanka (17*) on the side. The Asian champions reached the 50-run mark in eight overs and their innings seemed to be on the right track. Fifty runs for the second wicket partnership in 41 balls between Silva (15 *) and Nissanka (28 *). At the end of 10 overs, Sri Lanka were 63/1, with de Silva (17*) and Nissanka (32*) at the crease. The duo had scored only four boundaries collectively, mostly focused on strike rotation.
The 69-run stand between Silva and Nissenka was broken by spinner Ashton Agar when David Warner took a brilliant catch in the long-off area. Silva came back after scoring 26 off 23 balls and Lanka were 75/2 in 11.3 overs. The next player for Sri Lanka was Cherith Aslanka, who made an immediate impact in the 13th over by hitting Marsh for a four and a six. A well-set Nissenka also had to return after being run out for 40 off 45 balls by the pair of Marsh and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Sri Lanka was 97/3.
The next batsman at the crease was Bhanuka Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka touched the 100-run mark in 14.1 overs. He hit a boundary, but his stay was limited to just five balls by Mitchell Starc, who took his first of the day with an assist from Cummins. Sri Lanka were down to 106/4 in 14.5 overs. With five overs to spare, Sri Lanka were on 106/4, with Aslanka (16*) joined by skipper Dasun Shanaka. Captain Shanaka took a catch at the hands of Wade, giving Glenn Maxwell his first wicket for the day.
Sri Lanka had lost half their batsmen for 111 runs. They lost four wickets within just 36 runs, allowing the Aussies to bounce back after the Silva-Nisanka stand. Josh Hazlewood dismissed all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga for just one run. Hasanranga bowls a length delivery on the seventh stump to be caught by Wade. At 120/6 in 17.3 overs, SL needed some intervention to improve their position.
Chamika Karunaratne joins Aslanka at the crease. Aslanka helped his team cross the 150-run mark in 19.5 overs. Cummins’ final over was extremely expensive as it conceded 20 runs. Sri Lanka finished on 157/6 with Asalanka (38*) and Karunaratne (14*) remaining. Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Agar and Maxwell got one wicket each.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka: 157/6 (Pathum Nisanka 40, Charit Aslanka 38*, Glenn Maxwell 1/5) Lost to Australia: 158/3 in 16.3 overs (Marcus Stoinis 59*, Aaron Finch 31*, Chamika Karunaratne 1/20) ).