Australia Defends T20 World Cup Title with Six-Wicket Win Over Sri Lanka
Australia started their T20 World Cup title defense with a solid six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka, who now face an uphill battle to reach the semi-finals after suffering their second consecutive defeat. The match showcased Australia’s bowling strength, restricting Sri Lanka to just 93 runs, and chasing down the target comfortably in under 15 overs.
Megan Schutt led Australia’s attack, taking 3 wickets for just 12 runs, while Sophie Molineux contributed with 2 wickets. Despite bowling well, Australia’s discipline faltered with five no-balls and two wides, allowing Sri Lanka to accumulate 13 extras—one of the highest contributions to their score.
Sri Lanka’s batting struggled, with only Harshitha Samarawickrama (23 runs) and Nilakshika Silva (29 runs) showing any resistance, highlighted by a brief 31-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Australia had a shaky start, losing three wickets for just 35 runs, but Beth Mooney steadied the ship, scoring an unbeaten 43 and hitting the winning runs in the 15th over.
With this victory, Australia positions itself well in the group, although their run rate is still a concern given the previous upsets. The match emphasized the need for both teams to tighten up their discipline and execution moving forward in the tournament.
Score Summary:
- Sri Lanka: 93 for 7 (Nilakshika 29*, Schutt 3-12, Molineux 2-20)
- Australia: 94 for 4 (Mooney 43*, Perry 17, Sugandika 1-16)
- Result: Australia won by 6 wickets.
