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Business as usual resumed for five-time World Champions Australia as they opened their account in World Cup 2023 with a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow on October 16. The comprehensive win helped Australia rise from the bottom of the table to the eighth spot, above Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. The big plus was Adam Zampa regaining his confidence taking four wickets in the middle overs to prevent Sri Lanka from posting a threatening total on the board.
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Earlier, Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis won the toss and opted to bat first. In the absence of an injured Dasun Shanaka, Chamika Karunaratne was included in the side. Also, Matheesha Pathirana was dropped to include Lahiru Kumara. On the other hand, Pat Cummins did not make any changes. On the first ball of the innings, Australia wasted their review. Mitchell Starc gave Kusal Perera a couple of warnings but did not run him out for backing up too far. Perera and Nissanka dominated Australian pacers. Glenn Maxwell was introduced into the attack. Maxwell had trapped Perera in front of the stumps but Pat Cummins opted not to review the decision.
The partnership crossed the 100-run mark in the 18th over. Perera reached his half-century from 57 balls whereas Nissanka took 58. Cummins came back into the attack and broke the partnership in the 22nd over. Nissanka scored 61 runs from 67 balls. A few overs later, Perera got bowled by Cummins. He scored 78 runs from 82 balls including 12 fours. In the next over, Zampa got his redemption with the wicket of in-form Mendis for a single-digit score. In his next over, Sadeera Samarawickrama got out lbw. Rain interrupted play in the 33rd over.
After a delay of over half an hour, play resumed. Bowling from round the wicket, Starc got the wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva. In his next over, Dunith Wellalage was caught short with Cummins' direct hit. Zampa continued to trouble Sri Lankan matters. Chamika missed the googly and got out lbw. In his next over, Maheesh Theekshana got out in a similar manner for a five-ball duck. Kumara had no answers to Starc's pace and got bowled. In the 44th over, Maxwell ended Charith Asalanka's stay at the crease. he scored 25 runs from 39 balls. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 209 from 43.3 overs.
The run chase started off well with Mitchell Marsh finding a boundary first ball and David Warner hitting a six. In the fourth over, Dilshan Madushanka struck twice to dismiss Warner and Steve Smith. After the double-wicket maiden, Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne shared a crucial partnership. In the 12th over, Marsh reached his half-century from 39 balls. But he could not go on to get a big score. Marsh got run out for a 51-ball 52. Labuschagne and Josh Inglis did not let the run chase derail from there. Meanwhile, Inglis reached his maiden World Cup fifty from 46 balls.
Madushanka came back to the attack and got the wicket of Labuschagne who played a loose shot. He scored 40 runs from 60 balls. Maxwell was in a hurry to finish the run chase. He hit Madushanka for three fours in an over and followed it up with two sixes off Theekshana. Inglis missed a chance to finish off the run chase and became Wellalage's only victim of the evening. Marcus Stoinis too was sent to finish the run chase as soon as possible. In the 36th over, Stoinis finished in style with a maximum. Australia chased down the target with 88 balls to spare and five wickets in hand.
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