Women's T20 World Cup 2024/25, AUS-W vs SL-W 5th Match, Group A Match Report, October 05, 2024

Australia 94 for 4 (Mooney 43*, Perry 17, Sugandika 1-16) beat Sri Lanka 93 for 7 (Nilakshika 29*, Schutt 3-12, Molineux 2-20) by six wickets

Australia started their T20 World Cup defence with a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka, who slumped to a second defeat in lower than 48 hours to depart their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread. Australia stored Sri Lanka to underneath 100, and knocked off the runs inside 15 overs. However their velocity of run-scoring was not sufficient to place Australia on prime of the group forward of New Zealand on NRR, which may show essential in a pool the place they’ve already been two upsets.

Whereas it was comparatively easy for Australia, they might be the primary to confess that they weren’t at their most medical finest. Their bowlers despatched down 5 no-balls and two wides, and the 13 extras had been the fourth-highest contributor on a sorry Sri Lanka scorecard. That continues a development of Australia conceding essentially the most variety of extras because the begin of final 12 months, and is a self-discipline they might wish to tighten up on.

Nitpicking apart, Australia held the benefit early due to medium-pacer Megan Schutt, who completed with the very best figures among the many bowlers on a spinner-friendly monitor. Between them, spinners Ash Gardner, Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham bowled 12 overs, which value solely 55 runs whereas they shared 4 wickets.

Sri Lanka’s solely actual resistance got here from a 31-run fifth-wicket stand between Harshitha Samarawickrama and Nilakshika Silva, they usually had been the one batters to get greater than 20. Sri Lanka ended up effectively in need of a par whole, however initially made a fist of defending it. That they had Australia 35 for 3 and had been fielding excellently, however didn’t have sufficient runs to make a sport of it.

Beth Mooney hit 43*, and sealed the chase within the fifteenth over•ICC/Getty Photos

Australia’s superior begin

If there was any thought that Australia could be something lower than their very best as their event received underway, that was swiftly dismissed as they received off to the right begin. Schutt began proceedings with the event’s second maiden over, and Gardner adopted up with a second, which instantly raised questions of Chamari Athapaththu’s resolution to bat first.

She received bat on ball within the third over, when she guided Schutt previous backward level for 2, however the over ended badly when Vishmi Gunaratne was given out lbw off the final ball, and reviewed to no avail. Schutt received the ball to tail in from exterior off and pin Gunaratne on the again pad in entrance of center and leg stump. Ball monitoring confirmed her dismissal.

Issues received worse two balls later, as Gardner beat Athapaththu’s sweep shot and requested for a assessment after the on-field resolution appeared to recommend it was sliding down leg. However ball-tracking judged it to be hitting leg, and Athapaththu needed to depart for a second single-figure rating to start out the World Cup. Sri Lanka had been 6 for two within the fourth over.

Sri Lanka fail to cross 100 second time

Sri Lanka’s batters cannot be blamed for making an attempt to make one thing occur of their seek for runs, however their makes an attempt to be attacking had been unsuccessful as they may not get the ball to clear the boundary. Samarawickrama, who battled laborious to attain 23 off 35 balls, was the primary to play a poor shot when she swung at a full, large supply from Molineux with out a lot conviction, and popped a easy return catch to the bowler.

Hasini Perera solely confronted 4 balls for her 2, and was then given a present when Wareham despatched down a grimy full toss which she swiped at, however in the direction of Gardner, who took a great catch over her proper shoulder. And within the ultimate over, with runs wanted to place up a good whole, Anushka Sanjeewani tried to lap Schutt however ended up scooping the ball straight to Wareham at brief effective leg.

Udeshika Prabodhani cleaned up Alyssa Healy in the first over, Australia vs Sri Lanka, Women's T20 World Cup, Sharjah, October 5, 2024

Udeshika Prabodhani cleaned up Alyssa Healy within the first over of the chase•ICC/Getty Photos

Alyssa’s aggression = Udeshika’s reward

Sri Lanka had been underneath the pump once they conceded eight runs off the primary three authorized deliveries of the Australia innings, however Udeshika Prabodhani had the right response. Her fourth ball was on a size and angled in, and Alyssa Healy formed up for the leg-side flick, however the ball held its line and beat her utterly to search out off stump. Prabodhani closed out the over with out conceding one other run, and from nowhere, Sri Lanka had been within the contest.

Beth bosses it

When Wareham was run-out within the third over and Ellyse Perry was bowled, the match teetered on an upset. However then, there was Beth Mooney. Arguably the very best chaser within the girls’s sport, she took her time upfront and located her first boundary after the powerplay, when Inoshi Priyadarshani provided a full ball down leg, and Mooney paddled it effective for 4.

She was into her work when she despatched Sugandika Kumari over mid-on for 4, which decreased the runs required to underneath 50. In sometimes accountable vogue, Mooney was there on the finish, unbeaten on 43, and hit the profitable run within the fifteenth over.