1st T20I, Colombo, June 07, 2022, 07:00 PM
Sri Lanka
128/10(19.3ov)
Australia
134/0(14.0ov)
Australia beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets
Right then! That is it from this one-sided affair. Australia go 1-0 up but Sri Lanka will look to draw things up in the 2nd T20I which is on Wednesday, 8th June at 7 pm IST (1.30 pm GMT). Do join us in advance for the build-up as well. Till then, goodbye and cheers!
Aaron Finch, the skipper of Australia says that they have had a really similar group for a while, everyone understands their role, and it's only about giving them confidence. Mentions that Josh Hazlewood bowled at a consistent length, Sri Lanka played very well in the powerplay but they were able to control the middle overs. Adds that he feels nice to get some runs and put on a partnership with David Warner. Concludes by saying that it was a good performance overall.
The skipper of Sri Lanka, Dasun Shanaka says that it is a day that everything went wrong for them. Mentions that they had a serious talk regarding their batting, they spoke about the openers providing them with a start, however, the batters will have to come up with a plan. Further adds that it's the first game of the series and hoping they will have better days.
Josh Hazlewood is the Player of the Match for his excellent figures of (4-0-16-4) - He says it was not the ideal conditions to bowl as it was hot and sweaty, but they bowled well as a unit and the results showed. Mentions that the new ball flew off the bat in the beginning but they pulled things back and back of a length did work in their favour. Adds that he has been working hard on his T20 game, playing a lot of it.
Stay tuned for the presentation...
A dominant performance from Australia. Aaron Finch won the toss and since then it was all going his way. The first half of the first innings was dominated by the hosts but things started to turn around as once the top three fell, wickets started to fall like a pack of cards. It was the two frontline bowlers, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood who ran through the batting lineup. The chase was like a walk in the park for the two great Aussie openers - David Warner and Aaron Finch. They brought their respective fifties and crossed the victory line with ease.
Sri Lanka will be really disappointed with how things panned out. From being 100 for 1 to nose-diving and bundling out at 128 is not a good sign for them. It was always going to be a hard job for the bowlers to defend a below-par score on a pitch that was a belter for batting. The Sri Lankan bowlers tried their best but they were always behind the 8-ball and ultimately failed to even open their wicket column.
Australia go 1-0 up in the three-match T20I series without hardly breaking a sweat. A commanding performance from the Aussies, the bowlers did the job earlier and it was superbly followed by the openers to win by 10 wickets. The win was inevitable for the visitors even when the rain stopped the play as they were very close to the finishing line.
In over# 14
6
4
1
4
4
0
Dushmantha Chameera 48/0(4)
13.6
6
SIX! Aaron Finch finishes things off in style! Another shorter ball, outside off. Aaron Finch stays in his crease, opens the face of the bat once again, and upper cuts it over third man all the way for a biggie. Australia win by 10 wickets!
13.5
4
FOUR! Nicely done! Shorter ball, wide of off. Aaron Finch hangs back, opens the face of the bat and guides it towards third man for a boundary. Australia are just one away now!
13.4
1
On a length, around middle and leg. David Warner tucks it towards deep square leg for a single.
13.3
4
FOUR! Two in a row! Touch short now, on middle. Warner pulls it to deep backward sqaure leg. The fielder runs to his right and tries to flick it away but fails to do so. Another boundary. Just 6 needed now.
13.2
4
FOUR! On a length and on the hips. David Warner hangs back and helps it away to fine leg for a one-bounce four.
13.1
.
A length ball, on off. Warner taps it to covers. Finch wants a quick single but was sent back wisely by his partner.
In over# 13
1
1
4
1wd
2
1wd
1
1
Nuwan Thushara 21/0(2)
12.6
1
Another single as this is eased down by Warner to long on. Just 14 needed now.
12.5
1
On middle, fuller and it is drilled down to long on for a single.
12.4
4
FOUR! FIFTY FOR FINCH! 17th half-century for him! Both the openers have been superb from the start! This is full and outside off. Finch opens the face of the bat and drives it over point for a boundary.