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Sri Lanka, led by the impressive Dilshan Madushanka, launched a vigorous defense of their total. Madushanka’s initial 12 deliveries were a masterclass in precision, conceding zero runs while claiming two wickets, including a double-wicket maiden. These early scalps dismissed the formidable pair of David Warner and Steven Smith. Meanwhile, on the other end, Mitchell Marsh showed no mercy to the Sri Lankan bowlers.
Marsh’s innings took off with a remarkable lofted shot over mid-off against Lahiru Kumara’s fullish delivery, setting the tone for his fearless approach. Mahesh Theekshana, introduced as early as the third over due to Kumara’s expensive start, also fell victim to Marsh’s prowess, conceding a couple of exquisite boundaries. Kumara was no exception, as Marsh repeated his boundary-hitting feat in the following over. The most punishing treatment, however, was reserved for Dunith Wellalage, who bore the brunt of Marsh’s aggression, yielding three boundaries in his initial over.
In what initially appeared to be an advantageous decision after winning the toss, Sri Lanka’s stand-in skipper, Kusal Mendis, expected a pitch that would yield a total between 280 and 300. The Sri Lankan team got off to an ideal start, with their opening pair accumulating a promising 125-run partnership.
However, an astonishing batting collapse of epic proportions unfolded, resulting in the loss of ten wickets for a mere 84 runs. This catastrophic collapse marked the worst in World Cups since 2011 and was Sri Lanka’s most significant collapse since their inaugural World Cup match, leaving them with a total of 209 runs on the board.
Adam Zampa emerged as the standout bowler, claiming four crucial wickets for 47 runs, while Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc contributed with two wickets each.
Sri Lanka’s partnerships during their innings paint a telling story. They began with a substantial opening stand of 125 runs, followed by a brief but dynamic 32 runs, and then, an unexpected void. Beyond these two top-order partnerships, only two other players reached double-digit scores, and that too by a narrow margin. In stark contrast, Australia showcased a string of partnerships, scoring 24, 0, 57, 77, 34, and an unbroken 23 on their way to a victorious chase.
This alarming pattern of collapses is becoming a concern for Sri Lanka, as they squandered a promising position for the second consecutive game, and this marks the fourth time in five matches if you include warm-up games. This match also underscored the vulnerability of the Sri Lankan team when Kusal Mendis, the opening batsman, failed to deliver. Despite the 125-run partnership between Nissanka and Kusal Perera, Sri Lanka’s middle order couldn’t capitalize on the platform, crumbling from 157 for 1 to a final total of 209.
While Nissanka had shown his batting prowess in the previous match against Pakistan, Kusal Perera, who was nursing a recently recovered shoulder strain and had not been in the best form, struggled. However, a subdued start by the Australian seamers provided the openers with enough boundary-scoring opportunities, even though they needed to rotate the strike effectively. Their formidable opening partnership had Sri Lanka eyeing a total well beyond 300, but what followed was a collapse that defied expectations.
While Pat Cummins is nominally credited with initiating Sri Lanka’s decline by dismissing both openers in a matter of overs, a significant portion of the credit goes to David Warner, whose exceptional fielding and catching set the stage for the downfall.
Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis might just answer Australia’s middle-order concerns. With Steve Smith struggling to find his form and Marnus showing flashes of brilliance inconsistently, this has been a genuine issue for the team. However, in this match, they stepped up to the plate, crafting a valuable partnership of 77 runs in 89 deliveries. As the innings progressed, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell, who possess finishing prowess, came to the crease to efficiently complete what turned out to be a straightforward run chase.
Mitchell Marsh is also coming into a rhythm; this could be a good sign for Australia. They’re expecting Travis Head to join him in the opening stand midway, and hopefully, their aggressive opening could be checked off a critical point.
It’s important to give special recognition to David Warner for his exceptional work in the outfield, where he took two outstanding catches to dismiss Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis. These crucial wickets were pivotal in initiating Sri Lanka’s batting collapse. Warner’s brilliance in the field showcased a marked improvement in Australia’s fielding, particularly in catching, which had been uncharacteristically below par in their initial defeats to India and South Africa.
Adam Zampa emerged as the standout performer among the bowlers, finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 47. Zampa’s success was further punctuated by a moment of brilliance from David Warner, who took a fantastic catch. Zampa struck once more in the following over, dismissing Sadeera Samarawickrama with an lbw decision deemed umpire’s call, showcasing the acceptable margins of decision-making in cricket. While the lbw decision left Samarawickrama disappointed, Australia could argue that it evened the scales after an earlier not-out lbw call against Kusal Perera, which, had it been reviewed, would have shown three reds.
The game experienced a brief interruption due to a passing shower, followed by strong winds that dislodged scaffolding and advertising hoardings from the stadium roof. Upon resumption, Australia dominated as Sri Lanka’s batsmen grappled with the changed conditions, including a slightly more lively pitch after the rain.
The wickets tumbled for Sri Lanka, as Dhananjaya de Silva fell just two balls after the restart, and an ill-judged single attempt by Dunith Wellalage led to his run-out by a precise throw from Pat Cummins. With the innings in disarray, Zampa’s deceptive googlies accounted for Dimuth Karunaratne and Mahesh Theekshana just before Mitchell Starc returned to the attack to dismiss Lahiru Kumara with a pinpoint yorker. The final wicket fell as Charith Asalanka was caught after attempting a slog sweep off Glenn Maxwell.
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