Glenn Maxwell’s 80 not out helped Australia chase down a rain-modified 282-run target to beat hosts Sri Lanka by two wickets on Tuesday. The visiting team began a chase of 301 runs in 50 overs, but a rain break of 90 minutes reduced the innings to 44 overs, with the visitors requiring 282 under DLS at Pallekele.
Maxwell hit six fours and six sixes to score an unbeaten 80 off 51 balls when the visiting team took four wickets against the bowling of spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.
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Australia lost opener David Warner in the second over to Mahesh Thikshana for a leg before wicket.
Fellow opener Aaron Finch scored 44 off 41 balls before being caught by Kusal Mendis off Hasranga’s delivery.
When the rain stopped, the visiting team scored 73 for two with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne at the crease.
After the game resumed, Labuschagne fell for 24. Marcus Stoinis scored 44 runs in 31 balls. Smith scored 53 before being clean bowled by Dunith Velalez.
Alex Carey hit a quick 21 off 22 balls and Pat Cummins was playing his first ODI after 18 months with an injury, which fell on a duck.
But Maxwell saw his team at home, ending the match with two consecutive sixes.
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“I tried to stay there for as long as I could. I thought it was a good opportunity to bring down the run rate against the young spinner.
Sri Lankan captain Dusan Shanaka hit a lot of short deliveries and full toss.
“The winning total at this ground is 300, but we had to pay the price for our bowling,” Shanaka said.
Earlier in the day, the hosts opened their innings with solid batting performances from openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka, who scored half-centuries in their opening stands of 115.
Both men attacked an injury-stricken Australian fast bowling attack before the visitors caught Gunathilaka short of their crease with a straight hit from Stoinis.
Nissenka gave Ashton Agar a simple catch to Finch after two overs with a reverse sweep.
Mendis scored an unbeaten 86 off 87 balls to take the hosts to 300.
Shanaka, who stunned the visitors in the final Twenty20 International on Saturday, could only hit a six.
Hasaranga’s quick knock of 37 off 19 balls helped Sri Lanka post a challenging total.
Spinner Labushen and Agar took two wickets each.
Fast bowler Cummins remained without a wicket and conceded 48 runs in eight overs.
Australia have suffered a setback from key bowlers who were rested from the tour, including Kane Richardson, who returned home on Sunday after suffering a hamstring injury in the last T20 International.
The second ODI is on Thursday at this ground.
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