Australia power their way to a convincing 07 wicket win against Sri Lanka to steady their ship in troubled waters
ICC 08th Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup Championship 2022 – 10th Day Super 12 Stage – Group 01 – 03rd Day – Match 04 ( 19th Match ) – Perth, Western Australia
Sri Lanka put into bat, 157 / 6 – ( 20 Overs ) Pathum Nissanka 40, Charith Asalanka 38no, Dhananjaya De Silva 26, Chamika Karunaratne 14no, Extras 23, with 12 wides – Pathum Nissanka / Dhananjaya De Silva put on 69 runs for the 02nd wicket, Pathum Nissanka / Charith Asalanka added 22 runs for the 03rd wicket – then lost 04 wickets for the addition of 23 runs in the middle of the innings – Charith Asalanka / Chamika Karunaratne were involved in a 37 run unbroken partnership for the 07th wicket – first 06 overs : 36 / 1, 10 overs : 63 / 1, 15 overs : 106 / 4, last 05 overs : 51 / 2 – 50 dot balls conceded – 02 big overs : Pathum Nissanka / Charith Asalanka hammered 14 runs off the 13th over, the only over bowled by Mitchell Marsh, Charith Asalanka / Chamika Karunaratne took 20 runs off the 20th over bowled by Pat Cummins which also included 02 wides – Glenn Maxwell 1 / 05, Mitchell Starc 1 / 23, Ashton Agar 1 / 25, Josh Hazlewood 1 / 26, Pat Cummins 1 / 36, Matthew Wade 02 victims & 01 run out assist.
Australia in reply, 158 / 3 – ( 16.3 Overs ) Marcus Stoinis 58no ( 6×6, 4×4, 18 balls ) – the fastest fifty for Australia in T20 Internationals – Skipper Aaron Finch 31no – he batted through the entire successful run chase – Glenn Maxwell 23, Mitchell Marsh 18, Extras 16, 10 wides included – Aaron Finch was involved in 04 partnerships – with David Warner he was involved in a 26 run opening stand, with Mitchell Marsh he put on 34 runs for the 02nd wicket, with Glenn Maxwell the pair added 29 runs for the 03rd wicket, he was a willing non striker / satisfied spectator as Marcus Stoinis dominated the unbroken 04th wicket stand of 69 runs – Aaron Finch was dropped by the substitute Ashen Bandara off the bowling of Chamika Karunaratne, but the very next ball the same pair were involved in the dismissal of Glenn Maxwell – first 06 overs : 33 / 1, 10 overs : 85 / 2, 15 overs : 126 / 3, last 09 balls : 32 / 0 – Dhananjaya De Silva 1 / 18, Chamika Karunaratne 1 / 21, Maheesh Theekshana 1 / 23, Wanidu Hasaranga 0 / 53 in 03 overs – his first over the 08th, Finch / Marsh scored 15 runs, his 02nd over the 10th – Finch / Maxwell hammered 19 runs, his 03rd over the 15th – Finch / Stoinis plundered 19 runs, Binura Fernando limped off after bowling the first 05 balls in the innings. The continued failures of Bhanuka Rajapaksa & Dasun Shanaka to contribute with the bat in key matches is a fact that will have to be promptly addressed by Mahela Jayawardene, Chris Silverwood & Dasun Shanaka.
Player of the Match : Marcus Stoinis – Australia
The win redeemed Hosts & Defending Champions, Australia after the firing force in the bowling unit were unimpressive in the game. The power hitting outside of the power play overs
was a bonus for the rest of the campaign for the winners.