AUS VS SL - 14th Match, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

Australia move to Bengaluru to play Pakistan on 20th October. Sri Lanka stay back and will play Netherlands on the 21st of this month. Pakistan would be hurting from their loss to India and Australia themselves were drubbed by India as well. Both teams wouldn't want to afford another loss. Sri Lanka on the other hand would want to open their account and Netherlands would be glad as well to do the same. The WC is still in the early stages. But a few exciting ones already have come our way. Today was one way traffic after the initial fight from Lanka. But more intriguing action is coming your way. This is our team of Saurabh Shankar, Pradeep Krishnamurthy, Raju Peethala, Kumar Abhisekh Das and V Harish signing off. 

Pat Cummins: Nothing said much on the back of two losses. The energy on the field was great. They started very well. We bowled decently. We stayed at it. The bowlers hit the deck hard. I think high 300 was par on that. There is a lot of people watching this. Outside noise doesn't bother us a lot. All parts of the game came together today. We would want to keep it up.

Kusal Mendis: Nissanka and Perera batted well. After that we struggled and got a low score. 290 or 300 would have been a good score. We couldn't rotate the strike much. Last two games we batted really well. Today the batters struggled. I have confidence in my batting unit. I think Madushanka bowled really well. He gave us two early wickets. We can field better. I hope Matheesha can recover quickly.

Adam Zampa | Player of the Match: To be honest, I wasn't feeling great because I had a bit of a back spasm. Was playing through it the last couple of days. Today I felt better, bowled better today. (On coming out the attack at the end) I think it was the captain’s decision to get the off spinner against the lefties, and my back was also pretty sore. (On his performances so far) Personally, not at my best and last game particularly felt I could have been doing better. My job in this team is to take wickets in the middle order. Didn’t quite do that last game and put the pressure on the death bowlers. Today, I’ve been feeling better, but nice to come out on the winning side today. Took a while to get into the game, just got to keep that wicket taking attitude going, doesn’t matter if I leak some runs. (On the plans forward) I wish winning was that easy, we’ve got a big one against Pakistan in Bangalore next up. That’s going to be a tough one.

Stats courtesy Shashikant Singh:

- Sri Lanka has not beaten Australia in eight matches in the ODI World Cup since the 1996 WC final. This is also the most wins (9) against an opponent by a team in the ODI World Cups.

Best bowling figures for SL vs AUS in World Cups
3/34 - Chaminda Vaas, Gqeberha 2003
3/38 - Dilshan Madushanka, Lucknow 2023*
3/43 - Aravinda de Silva, Lahore 1996
3/47 - Dilhara Fernando, Centurion 2003

Sri Lanka's bowling today
D Madushanka: 9-2-38-3
Other bowlers: 26.2-0-177-1

Most sixes by a visiting batter in India (across formats)
51 - Glenn Maxwell
49 - Kieron Pollard
48 - Asghar Afghan
48 - AB de Villiers

Glenn Maxwell vs Sri Lanka in WC
102(53), Sydney 2015
46*(25), The Oval 2019
31*(21), Lucknow 2023*

Most matches lost by a team in World Cups
42 - Sri Lanka*
42 - Zimbabwe
35 - West Indies
34 - England

21:37 Local Time, 16:07 GMT, 21:37 IST: Sri Lanka's losing streak continues. Australia have broken theirs. Australia didn't have a great start to the game but the five time champions showed why they are a dangerous side. Sri Lanka were 125 for no loss when their carriage derailed all of a sudden. Cummins started the damage, Zampa got his mojo back and Starc put a few finishing touches. Only the Lankan openers got fifties. 210 was never going to be a threatening total. But Madushanka had other ideas. He removed Warner and Smith in the same over. That set the tone for the Lankans but Marsh scored a quick fifty before running himself out. Labuschagne dropped anchor and Inglis batted with a free spirit. Inglis notched his first WC fifty and that made it easy for the Aussies. Maxwell came in towards the end and so did Stoinis. Both came out all guns blazing. Their cameos meant it was an early finish with Australia winning in the 36th over.

Wellalage to Stoinis, SIX, and that's a towering blow to finish it off. Australia win this in a hurry and pocket their first win of the tourney. They win by 5 wickets. Was in the slot and Stoinis lofted it high and handsome over long-on

Wellalage to Stoinis, no run, six fielders inside the circle. Right up there, Stoinis jams it back to the bowler

Madushanka to Stoinis, 1 run, scores are level. Stoinis will be able to finish it off in the next over. Low full tos, clipped down to long-on

Madushanka to Maxwell, 1 run, chops the ball down into the off-side for a single. Two more needed now...

Madushanka to Stoinis, 1 run, clonked down to long-off for a single as that was a length delivery outside off

Madushanka to Stoinis, wide, banged in short, slower, goes well over and has been wided. One shot away

Madushanka to Stoinis, 2 runs, fuller length delivery, angling on to the pads, Stoinis clips it away behind square. They get a couple of runs

Madushanka to Maxwell, 1 run, smashes a short ball down to deep cover for a single as that was dropped too short

Madushanka to Maxwell, no run, backs away and smashes it to the man at mid-off. The way he backed away, if he faces the entire over this might well be the last over of the game

Wellalage to Stoinis, FOUR, that's timed and placed beautifully! The man at point failed to cut it off. Went back and chopped it past the fielder

Wellalage to Stoinis, no run, looks to sweep and misses. There was a loud appeal but he was hit well outside off. That was a flatter delivery. 12 needed now

Wellalage to Stoinis, no run, angles it in, Stoinis goes back and nudges the ball down on to the on-side

Wellalage to Stoinis, 2 runs, goes back and punches it past the man at cover. They get a brace as the man at deep cover cuts it off

Wellalage to Stoinis, FOUR, that's some statement! Kneels down, takes it from outside off and wallops the slog sweep well away from deep mid for a four. That was crunched