Australia vs Sri Lanka ICC CWC Match 14 Report: Australia came into the winning ways after defeating Sri Lanka by five wickets in the 14th match of the ICC World Cup 2023. With the win, Australia sits at 8th in the table with 2 points, while Sri Lanka rests at 9th, losing all three matches played.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, Sri Lanka started strong with an opening partnership that reached 125 runs. However, an astonishing collapse followed, as they lost all ten wickets for a mere 84 runs. This marked the worst World Cup collapse since 2011 and Sri Lanka’s worst collapse since their inaugural World Cup match. Adam Zampa led Australia’s bowling attack with excellent figures of 4 for 47, while Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc chipped in with two wickets each. David Warner’s exceptional catches in the deep to dismiss Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s downfall. These catches reflected a much-improved fielding performance for Australia, following their earlier defeats to India and South Africa, marked by uncharacteristic drops.
Australia’s chase commenced on a solid note with Dilshan Madushanka delivering an excellent opening spell, securing two wickets in his first 12 deliveries, including a double-wicket maiden. Despite these early dismissals of Warner and Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh, at the other end, continued to put pressure on Sri Lanka’s bowlers.
Marsh began the chase by lofting the first ball over mid-off, setting the tone for Australia’s pursuit. Maheesh Theekshana’s introduction to the attack in the third over did little to stem the flow, as Marsh struck two exquisite boundaries. Lahiru Kumara, who was expensive in his opening over, was punished further in his next over when Marsh struck two more boundaries.
Chamika Karunaratne’s accurate throw from the deep resulted in Marsh’s dismissal, but by that point, Australia had gained control of the match. As per Australia vs Sri Lanka ICC CWC Match 14 Report, subsequent partnerships between Josh Inglis and Marnus Labuschagne and the contributions of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis ensured Australia’s comfortable victory.
This triumph was primarily achieved with exceptional bowling, particularly on a surface that Pat Cummins mentioned he would have liked to have batted on. Australia’s partnerships demonstrated their dominance. In contrast, Sri Lanka’s substantial opening stand was followed by a brief and industrious partnership, after which their middle order disintegrated.
Sri Lanka’s consistent collapse is a cause for concern, as they have repeatedly squandered strong positions in recent games. For the second time in two matches, Sri Lanka faltered after an impressive start. This pattern has been evident in four out of their last five games, including warm-up matches. The game emphasized the significance of Kusal Mendis’ contributions. Although the openers, Nissanka and Kusal Perera, initiated a solid opening stand, Sri Lanka’s middle order could not capitalize on this foundation, leading to a collapse from 157 for 1 to 209 all out.
The early part of Sri Lanka’s decline is often attributed to Pat Cummins, who took two quick wickets. However, credit must also be given to David Warner for his exceptional catches in the deep. As per the AUS vs SL ICC Cricket World Cup Match 14 Report, Warner’s catches to dismiss Nissanka and Mendis proved instrumental in triggering Sri Lanka’s downfall. Warner’s second catch was especially remarkable as he covered significant ground to complete the catch.
Following the fall of these wickets, Australia maintained pressure, and the windy conditions after a rain interruption added an extra zip to the pitch. Dilshan Madushanka’s consistent maiden overs further frustrated the Sri Lankan batters. Eventually, a pair of Zampa googlies led to the dismissals of Chamika Karunaratne and Maheesh Theekshana. Mitchell Starc also returned to take a wicket, and Charith Asalanka was the final wicket to fall.
Australia’s performance showcased their control in the match, emphasizing their discipline with the ball and a clear approach during the chase, while Sri Lanka’s lack of partnerships and recurring collapses continued to plague them.
Australia vs Sri Lanka ICC CWC Match 14 Report: Score Summary
Australia
215 for 5 (Inglis 58, Marsh 52, Labuschagne 40, Maxwell 31*, Stoinis 20*, Madushanka 3-38)
Sri Lanka
209 (Perera 78, Nissanka 61, Zampa 4-47, Cummins 2-32, Starc 2-43)
Australia won by five wickets
For more, check out:
Australia vs Sri Lanka ICC CWC Match 14 Report
AUS vs SL ICC Cricket World Cup Match 14 Report
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