After the defeat against Pakistan, despite being in a better position, Sri Lanka threw it away again - this time, it was against Australia, whose bowling attack was taken to the sword, and Sri Lanka was well poised at 125 for 0.
ICC Cricket World Cup has witnessed three collapses in three
days and Sri Lanka is the latest edition.
Pat Cummins started it by dismissing both the Lankan
openers.
The short ball from Cummins let Pathum Nissanka, hook and
hole out to David Warner who ran from deep square leg.
Cummins came around the wicket to dismiss Kusal Perera with
a ball that angled in and squeezed him.
Adam Zampa - who looked out of sorts early on, shrugged off
his spasms and started producing wicket-taking deliveries.
He tossed one up to the in-form and stand-in captain Kusal
Mendis who swept to Warner and was dismissed cheaply. Sri Lanka looked up to Mendis
again, but Zampa had planned to target him by reducing the pace and
automatically, the attacking intent of Mendis invited the demise.
As soon as Mendis was dismissed - Sri Lanka lost their way.
Australia strangled Sri Lanka from everywhere and the deck
started slowing down - Sri Lanka failed to adapt and graft a better partnership
to arrest a collapse.
10 wickets fell for 84 runs - and Australia were left to
chase a small total on a tricky deck.
Warner and Steve Smith walked back early as Madhusanka
raised hope which shows the top-order's problems against the left-arm quick
during power-play - the Australian batsmen averaged below 20 since Cricket
World Cup 2019.
Marnus Labuschagne is known for being slow in ODIs but his
slowness was the key to Australia's survival and provided the perfect foil to
the fluency of Josh Inglis at the other end.
It was a tricky phase where resolve from one end was much
needed and Labuschagne was that composed factor.
Australia have earned a point and from here, we can only hope for their revival until and unless they don't lose it mentally.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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