In match 22 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka took on Australia, a team they had not beaten in an ICC tournament since 2013. After winning the toss, Australia chose to field first, a decision that has delivered a lot of success to teams, as teams have a win-loss ratio of 8-1 after winning the toss and chasing.
Sri Lanka had an aggressive start
After their sensational chase against Bangladesh, the Sri Lankan openers started with aggressive intent, scoring 53 runs in the powerplay, losing just one wicket. After that early wicket, Kusal Perrera and Charith Asalanka combined for a partnership of 63 runs off 44 balls, both eventually falling for 35 runs each.
The left-handed duo was severe on anything full or short of the length, angling in on their body, scoring 40% of their runs between the square-leg and mid-wicket region. To counter the left-handers, Aaron Finch brought on Glenn Maxwell in the fourth over, but Asalanka took a special liking for him by sweeping him for a Six and a Four, ending the over with 16 runs.
Adam Zampa choked Sri Lanka
After the powerplay, Finch soon introduced Adam Zampa in the attack and the leggie turned it around for Australia. Between overs 7-14, Sri Lanka could score just 44 runs at 5.5 runs per over, losing four wickets in the process. Zampa was at the forefront of this choke, bowling his four overs for figures of 2-12.
For Sri Lanka, coming in after the loss of five wickets, their skipper Dasun Shanaka struggled to get going, scoring 12 runs off 19 balls with a dot ball percentage of 57.89%. Late hitting from Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who scored 60.6% of his runs on the offside, of which, 18 runs came between covers and long-off, took Sri Lanka to a below-par total of 154/6.
155 against the Sri Lankan spinners wasn’t supposed to be a cakewalk, but the under-fire Australian openers, David Warner and Finch, took the bull by his horn, smashing their way to end the powerplay with Australia 63 for no loss. By the time Finch was dismissed for 37 off 23, the pair had already put their team into a commanding position, scoring 70 runs in just seven overs.
Australian openers laid a perfect platform
In the phase between 7-14 overs where Sri Lanka struggled to score runs, Australia scored 61 runs at 7.6 runs per over, despite losing three wickets. Warner, who struggled for runs in the matches leading up to this, looked like getting back to his old touch, smashing 65 runs off just 42 balls, including 10 Fours. He took a special liking for the mid-wicket region, scoring 27 runs in that area with five Fours.
Marcus Stoinis, who was promoted up the order, played a perfect finisher’s role, scoring 16 runs off just seven balls to take Australia home with 18 balls to spare. Zampa, for his choke-inducing spell, was adjudged the Player of the Match, and Sri Lanka have still not beaten Australia in an ICC tournament since 2013.