Australia came out flying colors against Sri Lanka. Australia won the match by 6 wickets & now have taken an unassailable lead of 4-0 in the 5 T20I Series. Australia in this T20I match were without the services of the trio: Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood & Pat Cummins. All 3 were given break as the Aussies are set to tour Pakistan in the next month. Sri Lanka would hope that they avoid a whitewash which looks most likely because the brand of Cricket which Sri Lanka doesn’t quite fit in the international level. Sri Lanka is in all sorts of trouble as they are not showing a fight.
Australia had opted to field first. Sri Lanka once again failed to put up a sizeable total. Sri Lanka managed to score 139 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. In response to 140 target Aussies lost 2 wickets & managed to score only 30 runs in the power-play overs. Then came the duo of Glenn Maxwell & Josh Inglis. Josh Inglish who is new to International Cricket scored 40 runs in 20 balls, he along with Maxwell toyed with Sri Lanks’s bowlers.
Glenn Maxwell made a contribution of an invaluable 48 runs in 39 balls, as Australia won the 4th T20I match with 1.5 overs remaining (*11 balls). From Sri Lanka Lahiru Kumara was the only bowler who had good figures as he took 2 wickets & gave away 22 runs in his 4 overs spell. Maheesh Theekshana the mystery spinner had a good outing as he took 1 wicket & conceded 20 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
After electing to bowl first, Sri Lanka had a decent power-play where they managed to score 41 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. The elegant opener Pathum Nissanka once again continued his good run by scoring 46 runs in 40 balls. Sri Lanka were looking set for a total in excess of 170 runs but as usual there was a collapse. Sri Lanka lost 6 wickets for 12 runs (110-2 to 122-8). Apart from Nissanka not a single batter scored 30 runs. Jhye Richardson & Kane Richardson both fast bowlers took 2 wickets each. The spinners Ashton Agar & Adam Zampa were quite economical with the ball. Both the spinners gave away 40 runs amongst themselves in a span of 8 overs & both of them took 1 wicket each. The role of spinners is critical as the middle overs phase is pivotal.
The next T20I match is scheduled on 20th January. Australia would be delighted as they were without Steven Smith & the pace trio. All in all, Australia is making a statement that their any team is enough to create destruction. Sri Lanka on the side would hope that their batters show some intent which has been missing since the start of the T20I Series. Sri Lanka should not forget that their next assignment is against India which is scheduled on 24th February, so Sri Lanka cannot take the next T20I match as every match for them is a contest.
Articles 