David Warner of Australia plays a shot as Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Stadium on October 28, 2021 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Vintage David Warner replied to his critics with a brilliant knock of 65 off 42 balls as Australia registered a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the Super 12 match of the ICC T20 World Cup here on Thursday.
Warner, who has gone through a lean patch, was back in his element as his 10 boundaries made it easy for Australia to chase down the target of 155 in just 17 overs. It was Australia’s second win in Super 12 matches and they looked like a strong contender other than England in the group to reach the semi-finals.
Warner was involved in two solid partnerships, – 70 in 6.5 overs (37 off 23 balls) with skipper Finch and another 50 in 6.3 overs with the former captain. Steve Smith (28 not out off 26 balls).
In the end, it looked like a walk in the park for the Aussies, who were better in all departments of the game against Sri Lanka, who lost their way between the 10th and 13th overs of their own innings. However, the day belonged to Warner, who was at his best and it only helped him that the Sri Lankan bowlers missed length on most occasions, which gave enough time to rock back and play those customary pull-shots – Both off pacer as well as spinner. .
Warner had a terrific last month in the UAE, when he had a public spat with the Sunrisers Hyderabad management and it went to the extent of one of the modern day being not allowed into the stadium by the franchise management , which had earlier snatched the captaincy from him.
It was almost time he answered everyone with a knock that would surely be a wake-up call for the other teams. But a lot of credit should also go to Mitchell Starc, who bowled the “tournament ball” as Australia endured a mid-innings collapse, restricting the Islanders to 154 for 6.
Starc (2/27 in four overs) in the form of a sly inswing yorker followed by a six off a brilliant comeback that saw the end Kusal Perera (35 off 25 balls) as Sri Lanka were 94 for 5 for 16 for the loss of four quick wickets, a relatively strong 78 for 1 in less than three overs.
Bhanuka Rakaspakse (33 not out off 26 balls), then launched into the weak link of the Australian attack Marcus Stoinis (0/35 in 3 overs) To get Sri Lanka back on track somewhat which seemed impossible after Starc’s second spell. However, Perera and last match hero Charit Aslanka (35 off 27 balls) set the stage by adding 63 runs in seven overs.
Aslanka was the first to walk off the block when he slog-swept Glen Maxwell Deep over mid-wicket for a six and also swept behind the square for a boundary. He then hit another boundary off Josh Hazlewood before Perera also joined in the fun.
He hit Starc for a six at long-on in his typical ‘Sanath Jayasuriya style’, but the left-arm pacer bowled a delivery that bounced back late and landed in the blockhole at good pace. Perera could not even bring his bat down before disturbing the stumps. Earlier, Aslanka was dismissed by the leg-spinner. adam zampa, who was easily the most impressive bowler on a good batting track with astonishing figures of 2/12 in 4 overs. He bowled 12 dot balls.
It was because of Zampa that Sri Lanka did not gain the required pace during those middle overs despite some brilliant shots in the middle. Add to this that he and Starc shared the spoils to create trouble for the opposition batsmen. It was Rajapaksa’s four fours and a six that cemented his score in the end.
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