Adam Zampa, Josh Inglis and Mitchell Marsh performed when their team needed them most as Australia breathed life into their floundering World Cup campaign with a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Lucknow on Monday. Leg-spinner Zampa claimed four wickets as Australia defeated Sri Lanka for 209 despite half-centuries by Kusal Perera (78) and Pathum Nissanka (61).
Chasing a score of over 300, Sri Lanka faced a bizarre batting collapse, losing 10 wickets for 84 runs.
Inglis (58), who scored his maiden World Cup fifty, Marsh (52) and Marnus Labuschagne (40) then did the heavy lifting with the bat as Australia cleared the target in 35.2 overs, giving a solid boost to their net run rate.
While Australia rose to eighth place with their first win of the tournament, the loss seriously dented Sri Lanka’s chances of progressing to the semi-finals as the country sits in ninth place with three defeats from as many matches.
Dilshan Madushanka (3/38) defended a below par total and bowled a fiery first spell including a maiden over and a double wicket maiden in which he claimed the prized scalps of David Warner and Steve Smith.
Warner immediately called for a review when the on-field umpire cleared him. The prolific left-hander left the ground fuming as the DRS gave the decision in favor of the on-field umpire. Smith, on the other hand, was caught just before the wicket.
While Madushanka was economical, Marsh departed against the other bowlers. He smashed three boundaries and plundered 12 runs off young spinner Dunith Wellalage in the ninth over.
Marsh raced to his fifty but Chamika Karunaratne sent a sharp throw from deep to end his innings as wicketkeeper Kushal Mendis made no mistake in collecting the ball and disturbing the stumps.
Inglis, playing only his second World Cup match, looked confident in the middle and forged a 77-run partnership with Labuschagne as Australia crossed the 200-run mark for the first time in this edition of the World Cup.
Earlier, an out-of-form Perera scored some much-needed runs while Nissanka hit his second successive fifty.
Australia benefited from the timely return to form of Zampa, who had had a terrible tournament. The wrist spinner enjoyed an excellent outing to help Sri Lanka take the lead in 43.3 overs.
There was a lot going on in the field as Mitchell Starc broke off his delivery pass three times to warn Perera not to leave his crease early at the non-striker’s end.
Perera was also hit in the head by a bouncer from Marcus Stoinis, catching the Sri Lankan off guard.
But the veteran southpaw was undeterred by the blow and sent Stonis’ slower cutter into the ground to get his fifty.
While both openers piled up the runs, the Australian bowlers looked clueless. But skipper Pat Cummins continued to shuffle his bowlers in search of that first breakthrough.
Cummins, who was far from his best with the ball, rose at the right time to give Australia the breakthrough they needed.
Cummins cramped Nissanka for space and the Sri Lankan hit him high and in front of the square, allowing Warner to run clear and complete a stunning catch.
The Australian skipper bowled a beautiful delivery five overs later to clear the other set batter in Perera, who chose the wrong line to swing his bat.
The dismissal marked the start of Australia’s dominance as Sri Lanka’s batting disintegrated and the five-time champions’ confidence grew.
Zampa (4/47) eliminated the in-form Kusal Mendis. But the wicket belonged to Warner, who ran across from deep midwicket and covered about 25 ms to complete a spectacular diving catch.
Sadeera Samarawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne and Maheesh Theekshana were Zampa’s other victims, with Starc chipping in with two wickets.
Apart from the openers and Charith Asalanka’s 25, no other Sri Lankan batsman reached double figures.
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