Following their defeat to New Zealand in the 2022 T20 World Cup opener, Australia faced a tough test against Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The hosts and defending champions fired and held Sri Lanka to a score of less than 160. With Charith Asalanka still alive after 38 balls, Sri Lanka is now at 157/6. Before Asalanka boosted the total on a quick surface, Australia’s bowling performance was disciplined for most of the innings. Sri Lanka scored 46 runs in the final four overs, including 20 runs in Pat Cummins’ final.
Other than that, Australia put on a fantastic bowling and fielding performance. David Warner’s attempt in the 11th over was one such incident. The fourth ball of the over by Marcus Stoinis, Dhananjaya de Silva drove the ball high up over long-off. Warner ran backward from mid-off and dived full length to nearly take an impossible-looking catch. Though Warner could not hold on to the ball, he saved a specific boundary.
The left-handed Asalanka fired at Cummins in the 20th over while discussing the game, smashing a beautiful straight six in addition to a draw for a boundary. Asalanka received strong support from Chamika Karunaratne, who scored an unbeaten 14 off seven balls. After losing to New Zealand, Australia has to win this game.
After Australia moved Sri Lanka into the batting order, their innings never gained momentum early. Pathum Nissanka (40 off 45 balls) and Dhananjaya de Silva (26 off 23) had a steady 69-run partnership off 58 balls after Kusal Mendis was dismissed cheaply before the constant loss of wickets wrecked the Sri Lankan innings.
David Warner, a livewire on the field, made a great running catch in the deep before De Silva fell, leaving Sri Lanka at 75 for two in the 12th over.
With the Asia Cup champions laboring at 120 for 6, Nissanka attempted a suicide single to throw away his wicket. A flurry of wickets then fell in quick succession.
The three frontline pacers for Australia, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc, took a wicket. The final over-exertion by Cummins ruined his entire performance.
