Reality check for SL as Aussie win T20 contest

Australia's David Warner plays a shot during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on 28 October 2021 – AFP  

By Champika Fernando in Dubai

Sri Lankan cricketers had their first reality check of the World Cup when mighty Australians handed them a defeat in the T20 World Cup with a dominating seven-wicket win at Dubai International Cricket Stadium last night.

Sri Lanka seemed threatening early on when Charith Asalanka and Kusal Janith Perera put on a rapid second-wicket stand but lost control with a flurry of wickets falling in quick time.

Their score of 154 was below par in what appeared to be a placid batting track as Australia sailed home with three overs to spare.

Sri Lanka’s ‘famed’ bowling attack which had attracted much appreciation at these games was quite dreadful as they were hammered for 63 runs in the powerplay overs. Even the chance that was affected was put down as Australia set themselves in a strong position to earn a semi-final spot.

Australia could have been 54 for 1 in the fourth ball of the fourth over if Kusal Perera had not dropped a straightforward chance behind wicket when David Warner gloved Dushmantha Chameera.

The openers shared 70 before Wanindu Hasaranga struck with the penultimate ball of his first over when Aaron Finch, who was timing the ball to the perfection till then, cut the wrong ‘un to the stump.

The Australian captain had made 37 off 23 balls, before heading to the pavilion as Australia made a tactical move by sending in Glenn Maxwell at No. 3. Maxwell's promotion was largely due to his ability to play spin and seemed the right decision, but Hasaranga had him caught at deep midwicket, when the batsman attempted to clear the mid-wicket boundary.

By then, however, the writing was on the wall for the Sri Lankans. Australia powered their way to 95 for 2 in the halfway mark, needing a runner ball to win thereon.

David Warner, who had scores of 100 n.o., 60 n.o. and 57 n.o. against Sri Lanka in his last three T20 international innings, made them pay the price for dropping him on 18, with a masterful half century that helped Australia crush the islanders comprehensively. He was caught out at wide long-off by Bhanuka Rajapaksa for 65 off 24 balls (10x4) off Dasun Shanaka in sight of victory.

Wanindu Hasaranga was threatening but lacked support from the rest of the bowling unit to stop the marauding Aussies. Steven Smith was 28 while Marcus Stoinis made 16 off seven balls.

Sri Lanka will meet high-riding England on Saturday in Sharjah, a game that they must win to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Earlier, Charith Asalanka and Kusal Perera put Sri Lanka in a strong position after Pathum Nissanka was caught out in the third over of the match. They shared an imposing second wicket stand but a middle order collapse handed Australia back the advantage.

Asalanka, the man in form, flexed his muscles from the time he arrived at the crease, hitting Josh Hazlewood for two consecutive boundaries off his first two balls, before Glenn Maxwell was greeted with a huge six over mid-wicket. He followed it up with a sweep to deep square leg boundary as Sri Lanka seized control of the game scoring 53 runs for1 in the powerplay overs.

The pair put on a quick 50 run stand in 36 balls with Asalanka being the aggressor, taking on the bowlers with some scintillating shots across the ground. He departed for 35 off 27 balls in the 10th over, while attempting to sweep Adam Zampa.

Asalanka hit it straight into the hands of Steve Smith at deep backward square ending a 63-run second wicket stand that came off in 43 deliveries. His exit exposed Sri Lanka’s brittle middle-order batting as Australian bowlers soon dented Sri Lanka’s run accumulation.

An in-swinging yorker from Mitchell Starc had Kusal Perera’s middle stump rattled in the 11th over of the game, a ball after Perera has dispatched an overpitched delivery to long on for a six.  Avishka Fernando slog swept leg-spinner Zampa straight to Smith fielding at the cover. 

Wanindu Hasaranga, the floater, was caught behind off Starc when the batter attempted to drive him. Sri Lanka lost half of their wickets for 94 runs in the 13th over. Hasaranga, unsure whether he had got a nick when the ball was passing his bat, appealed but the replays showed the ball nicking.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, one of the architects of Sri Lanka’s win over Bangladesh in their opening Super 12 games, scoring a half century, made a quick-fire 33 off 26 to end their innings on 154 for the loss of 6 wickets, after being put on to bat first.

Australia’s admired seam attack of Starc, Hazelwood and Pat Cummins were put under pressure early by Kusal and Asalanka but they came back strongly to wrest control of the game. Starc, Hazelwood and Zampa finished with two wickets each to restrict Sri Lanka to a chaseable total.