Record-breaking Stoinis drags Australia home over SL

Marcus Stoinis' extraordinary onslaught ensured Australia overcame a valiant Sri Lanka to keep their T20 World Cup title defence hopes alive on a spicy Perth Stadium pitch.

It was not the most convincing win as the Lankans stayed in the hunt for most of the match, but a devastating Stoinis blitz (59no from 18 balls) put the game to bed as the Aussies chased down 158 with 21 balls to spare.

The Australian bowling attack, shorn of its lead spinner in Adam Zampa who tested positive to COVID-19, had kept the visitors to the manageable target but could have ensured a bigger boost to their net run-rate had they been able to stop the fast-finishing Charith Asalanka (38 off 25) in a late cameo.

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Aaron Finch (31 off 42) was visibly frustrated throughout a tortured innings, but the captain nonetheless endured to anchor the chase as Mitch Marsh (18 off 17), Glenn Maxwell (23 off 12) and Stoinis found the fence at the other end.

Hometown hero Stoinis brought up his fifty from just 17 deliveries – Australia's fastest ever T20I fifty and the equal second-fastest at a T20 World Cup – blasting six sixes to stick a dagger in Sri Lanka's hopes of an upset victory in front of 25,061 fans.

It was astonishing hitting as the Aussies ruthlessly targeted Wanindu Hasaranga (0-53 off three overs) in particular.

Image Id: 230BB6A055CE47C5997444F93ADF18BC Image Caption: Stoinis' innings contrasted with that of captain Aaron Finch // Getty

With Australia's hopes of another T20 title still alive, Friday's clash with England at the MCG shapes as their biggest of the tournament.

It had been a rough fielding effort from the Aussies; Pat Cummins uncharacteristically put down a straightforward chance at deep-square leg, there were two separate instances of overthrows, while Finch – after misfielding the final ball of the innings that went for four – punched the ground repeatedly in a rage.

That capped a 20-run final over delivered by Cummins as Asalanka spearheaded a stirring revival to help his side reach 6-157, frustrating the Aussies who would have been expecting a more modest chase.

All that came despite some remarkable efforts from the evergreen David Warner.

The 36-year-old, the oldest player in the team, made a stunning boundary-line save having run all the way from the inner circle, before the next over taking a brilliant athletic grab on the opposite side of the ground off a Dhananjaya de Silva miscue.

Image Id: FF79AE35A1B8444B8DBFD00D9405FD08 Image Caption: Warner set the standard for Australia in the field // Getty

Sri Lanka's seamers, despite losing opening bowler Binura Fernando to injury after just five balls, proved near-unplayable with the new ball on a drop-in track that offered considerable seam movement.

Finch in particular struggled, managing just four runs from his first 15 balls. The Australian captain struggled to lay bat on ball during lively efforts from Fernando and Chamika Karunaratne, and it was a surprise when Warner punched one to cover off the spin of Maheesh Theekshanna.

Australia finished the Powerplay without scoring a boundary for the first time ever in a T20I.

Marsh breathed life into the chase as he profited from Dasun Shanaka putting him down on 1, before Maxwell's eventful cameo got the Aussies back into the game.

The enigmatic allrounder blasted two fours and two sixes from his first six balls, got struck on the throat by a vicious Kumara bouncer that required medical attention, before sub-fielder Ashen Bandara dropped a juggling attempt at a catch running back from the ring.

Image Id: 6D5724ADCD094240AB93037789C6146B Image Caption: Sri Lanka players check on Glenn Maxwell after he was struck in the throat // Getty

The very next ball, Bandara, this time on the mid-wicket fence, held on to a brilliant overhead grab from a sweetly-timed Maxwell blow, requiring spades of composure to not overbalance over the boundary cushion.

Finch earlier won his seventh toss in eight T20Is as Sri Lanka, themselves facing their biggest test of the tournament, struggled with the extra bounce generated by their hosts large frames.

Key man Kusal Mendis perished trying to pull Pat Cummins as the pace trio of him, Starc and Hazlewood peppered the Lankans to restrict the scoring, even as Pathum Nissanka (40 off 45) and Dhananjaya de Silva (26 off 23) built a 69-run second-wicket stand. 

Image Id: 02C85DD1F9684E29A44B244B7076A73E Image Caption: Ashton Agar finished with 1-25 on his return to the Australian XI // Getty

Mitchell Starc appeared frustrated throughout despite a strong spell with the ball; he had words with multiple Sri Lankan batters at the non-striker's end. It was unclear whether it was because he felt they were leaving their crease early or for other reasons.

Ashton Agar, included in the side for Zampa, was impressive in his return to the Australian XI, collecting 1-25 off his four overs.

Men's T20 World Cup 2022

Australia squad: Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Australia's fixtures

Oct 22: New Zealand beat Australia by 89 runs

Oct 25: Australia beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets

Oct 28: v England, MCG, 7pm AEDT

Oct 31: v Ireland, Gabba, 7pm AEDT

Nov 4: v Afghanistan, Adelaide Oval, 7pm AEDT

Click here for the full 2022 T20 World Cup fixture