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While there was neck-to-neck competition for players on second day of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction, Australia and Sri Lanka engaged in a nerve-wrecking thriller at Sydney Cricket Ground as the winner was decided in super over. Australia’s frontline bowler Josh Hazlewood saved the day for the hosts with 3/22 while defending the total followed by a five-run super over. Australia have now taken 2-0 lead in the five-T20I series.
The Super Over
Sri Lanka sent the half-centurion opener Pathum Nissanka and hard-hitting skipper Dasun Shanaka in the super over. Skipper Aaron Finch gave the ball to their new T20 specialist, Hazlewood. The tall fast bowler started off with two dot deliveries to Shanaka. Off the next delivery, Shanaka for a run off overthrow but got run out trying to sneak an extra run. There were no boundaries scored in the super over as Sri Lanka managed to score just five runs. With six runs to defend, no.1 T20I bowler Wanindu Hasaranga could not do much as Marcus Stoinis finished the job with consecutive boundaries.
Sri Lanka restrict Australia for 164
Earlier Sri Lankan skipper Shanaka won the toss and chose to bowl first. The half-centurion of first game, Ben McDermott got out for a 15-ball 18. Finch could not carry on too and scored just 25 runs off 20 deliveries. Youngster Josh Inglis top-scored for the side with 48-run knock off 35 deliveries including five boundaries. Maxwell, Steve Smith and Stoinis got good starts but could not convert. In the end, it was wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade’s cameo that helped post 164/6. For visitors, Dushmantha Chameera and Hasaranga picked two wickets each.
Nissanka keeps chase alive
The Sri Lankan run chase got off to a horrible start as Hazlewood got rid of opener Danushka Gunathilaka for a golden duck and Avishka Fernando for five runs. From the other end, Pat Cummins got rid of Charith Asalanka for a five-ball duck reducing visitors to 25/3 in the fifth over. Nissanka carried the run chase on his back. Dinesh Chandimal struggled to get the strike turning and managed 19 runs off 22 deliveries. Skipper Shanaka provided the much-needed boost to the run chase with a 34-run cameo laced with two fours and three sixes. Nissanka continued to anchor the innings with lower middle-order. In the last over, they needed 19 runs against Stoinis.
Eventful last over
While Stoinis started off with a wide, he got whacked for a boundary by Sri Lankan opener. He got a couple of runs off the next ball to get on the strike. Stoinis followed it up with a slower one which slipped out of his hand. Nissanka could not make the most of it and got caught at the square leg by Cummins. He scored 73 runs from 53 deliveries including seven fours and two sixes. With Chameera and Maheesh Theekshana in the middle and 12 needed off three deliveries, a Sri Lankan comeback was not expected. However, Theekshana revived the game with a six that teased Smith on the boundary. Next ball, they scampered for a single via byes. Last ball, speedster Chameera got a full toss and he hit it over Stoinis' head for a boundary to tie the game.
