Defending champions Australia beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Perth on Tuesday. Chasing a target of 158, Australia began slowly but Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis came to power their side to victory with 21 balls to spare. Stoinis brought up his fifty in just 17 balls.
Earlier, Sri Lanka put up 157/6. Opener Pathum Nissanka top-scored with 40 but consumed 45 balls to score those runs. Dhananjaya de Silva scored 26 in 23 deliveries, while Charith Asalanka remained not out on a 25-ball 38, helping the islanders cross 150.
Australia captain Aaron Finch said, “Very happy. Obviously, my innings were unusual. It was poor. I just couldn’t hit the ball. But I thought the way that we approached it with the bat was fine. We knew the first four or five overs with the ball, especially with Kumara nipping it around – it was seaming a long way there – so if we could get through that none or one down then it was going to be really important to set up the back end of the innings. It would’ve been nice if I could’ve kicked on earlier and made the chase a bit easier but all in all, pretty clinical, I think with the ball as well. [After the Powerplay] They bowled a hard length. It was tough. It’s such a big ground that you feel as though it’s hard to just stand and deliver. Especially with a bit of extra bounce and when the ball is seaming slightly, you feel it’s just not quite as easy to hit the middle of the bat. That’s no excuse for the way I played but it’s nice to get two points. [On Stoinis] It was a pretty special innings. To come out with that intent is the main thing. When you walk out to bat and you have that presence at the crease, that’s half the battle in T20 cricket. When you have the skill and the strength that he’s got, that’s a pretty good combo. It’s always a great event. Any format of the game, anywhere in the world, it’s pretty special so we’re looking forward to it.”
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka: “We started really well and we finished well. In the middle phase we didn’t get going and we could have missed 15-20 runs in the game. I think the fast bowlers especially are not prepared well. They are coming after injury so I think that’s the reason behind them getting injured most of the time. It was really tough with the new ball. It’s too hard to get going. Even Finch struggled with the new ball. It was the latter part that they played really well. [Asked to give his team marks out of 10] Maybe 5 or 4.”
Player of the Match, Marcus Stoinis said, “Ronny said to have a look at the quicks because it was doing a bit and if I felt comfortable then to have a go at the spinners. Once I got in, the plan was just to keep going. To be honest, I was really nervous today being at home in Perth with lots of family and friends here but really happy we put on a bit of a clinic today. Mentally I was nice and fresh having some time off with this side strain, but so far so good. I felt good. We played here the other day against England and it was a beautiful wicket. This did look like it was doing a little bit more, especially against the new ball. It’s beautiful ground, probably the best ground in Australia if not the world. We’ve wrapped this game up and look forward to playing England at the MCG. They’re obviously a very good team so we’ll do our homework again, rest up, get on our flight tomorrow and then go from there.”
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