Zampa puts Sri Lanka in a spin before Warner returns to form and takes Aussies to victory
Opener David Warner and leg-spinner Adam Zampa brought their ‘A’ game to the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday as Australia defeated Sri Lanka with ease.
Chasing 155 for victory in the Super 12 match, a quickfire 70-run opening stand between Warner (65) and captain Aaron Finch (37) helped the Aussies achieve their target in 17 overs and with seven wickets in hand.
Warner made his runs off 42 balls, with 10 hits to the fence, as Australia romped to their second successive win in Group 1 after their triumph over South Africa. For Sri Lanka it was a first defeat in five games after they qualified for the Super 12s on the back of three successive wins in the qualifiers and then over Bangladesh.
Both Australian openers hammered boundaries at will against spinners and fast bowlers in an explosive start of 70 off 41 balls, with Lahiru Kumara getting smashed for three boundaries and a six in one over.
Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga got Finch against the run of play as the batsman chopped a googly onto his stumps.
Glenn Maxwell’s promotion to number three did not bear results as he fell in Hasaranga’s next over for five, but there was no stopping Warner.
The left-handed batsman, who survived a reprieve on 18 when wicketkeeper Kusal Perera dropped an easy catch off Dushmantha Chameera, reached his fifty in 31 balls.
Earlier, Sri Lanka’s batsmen put in a spirited performance – led by Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s unbeaten 33 – to post 154-6.
Fast bowler Pat Cummins struck in the third over of the innings, but Charith Asalanka and Perera took the attack to the opposition. New man Asalanka hit bat back with three boundaries off Cummins as he and Perera – both scored 35 – added 63 for the second wicket.
Sri Lanka scored 64 runs in the powerplay before leg-spinner Zampa (2-12) slowed the scoring rate down.
Zampa broke through with a googly to get Asalanka caught at backward square leg. Mitchell Starc then bowled Perera with a sizzling yorker in the next over as Australia made serious inroads. Zampa took down Avishka Fernando and Starc sent back Hasaranga for four as Sri Lanka were 94-5 in the 13th over. However, Rajapaksa soon launched a counter attack as he hit Marcus Stoinis for two fours and a six in a 17-run over.
After the match, Australia captain Finch said the win was set up by Zampa. “When you’re looking at the impact on a game, Zamps was terrific,” Finch said. “On the back of a really good powerplay from Sri Lanka, the way that he controlled the game, especially from that bottom end where the right-handers had a short boundary to hit to, he was fantastic.”
Australia tasted their second success of the Super 12 stage while the Lankans lost for the first time this tournament