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Swashbuckling Warner fires Aussies to victory

Bowlers rein in Sri Lanka after fast start before David Warner blasts 65 to set up top-of-the-table clash with England

An imperious David Warner was back to his swashbuckling best as he bludgeoned Sri Lanka and led Australia to a second straight victory to begin their T20 World Cup campaign.

After player-of-the-match Adam Zampa (2-12 off four overs) and Mitchell Starc (2-27) reined in Sri Lanka’s fast start to ensure they could eke out only 6-154 on a fine Dubai batting surface, the Warner-led Australian top-order made light work of the pursuit as they romped home with three overs to spare.

It sets up a tantalising top-of-the-table clash in less than 48 hours’ time at the same venue with rivals England, the other unbeaten team in Group 1.

Newcomers Charith Asalanka (35 off 27) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (35no off 26) along with old hand Kusal Perera (35 off 25) took Sri Lanka to a competitive total that had threatened to swell larger had it not been for decisive blows from Starc and Zampa.

The Australian pair engineered a match-turning collapse of 4-16 in 16 balls.

Warner (65 off 42) and captain Aaron Finch (37 off 23) then made an electrifying start to the run chase with a rapid 70-run opening partnership that set up a comfortable seven-wicket victory, secured by anchor Steve Smith (28no off 26) and Marcus Stoinis (16 off seven).

Image Id: D254420E69124156A0C5CAD47CF76108 Image Caption: Stoinis and Smith got Australia home with three overs to spare // Getty

The Warner-Finch duo that has long been the rock of the country’s limited-overs teams came into the tournament with imperfect preparation – Finch has undergone eye and knee surgery this year while Warner had a dramatic parting with his Indian Premier League side – and even some question marks over their potency.

Both sent strong messages their top form is not beyond them.

Warner, who said this week he found reports of his bad form laughable, was imperious in cracking 10 boundaries, most with cross-batted strokes through the on-side, and treated the Sri Lankan bowlers with contempt.

Inexplicably dropped on 18 by keeper Perera, Warner nearly flattened speedster Lahiru Kumara with a blistering drive that had both bowler and umpire ducking for over.

Finch also unfurled a series of crisp strokes down the ground, including a charging drive off a 148kph offering from Kumara, in his fastest T20I innings in nearly two years.

Zampa was equally impressive; his wrong’uns proved indecipherable, including to Asalanka who had threatened to take the game away from the Aussies, as the leg-spinner remarkably conceded only singles in a spellbinding effort.

Starc delivered one of the balls tournament so far, a searing yorker that clean bowled Perera to put Sri Lanka on the ropes before Rajapaksa rescued them with a smart finishing knock.

Image Id: 798F2C4742BF412BA7712AA336933FCD Image Caption: Starc bowled Perera with a sizzling yorker // Getty

The Lankans had clearly made a plan of targeting their opponents’ fifth and sixth bowlers - Asalanka smashed Glenn Maxwell (who conceded 16 off his only over) out of the attack while Rajapaksa and Perera took full toll of Marcus Stoinis (0-35 off three overs) – in a likely sign of how sides will look to exploit the Aussies during the tournament.

A third of the Sri Lankan total came from Maxwell and Stoinis’ overs.

It mattered little as Finch and Warner’s brutal early onslaught soon highlighted the insufficiency of the target, with the pair blazing 63 off the Powerplay and dispatching pace pair Dushmantha Chameera and Kumara with alarming ease.

Image Id: 4AF1CB0196AB43B5A3C20F3C55867792 Image Caption: Zampa conceded only singles in a spellbinding bowling performance // Getty

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (2-22 off four overs) accounted for Finch and Glenn Maxwell (five off six balls) but Warner’s 31-ball half-century ensured the result was never in doubt.

Sri Lanka’s night was summed up by the dropped catch from Perera that had looped to him off Warner’s gloves. The chance was so straightforward that not only had the bowler Chameera begun celebrating, but umpire Richard Illingworth had started to raise his finger.

After an indifferent start from Sri Lanka having been sent in by Finch, Asalanka made a breathtaking start to his knock as he blasted 19 off his first six (legal) deliveries.

The 24-year-old only made his international debut earlier this year but he confidently handled the speed of Pat Cummins and then the spin of Maxwell, who was employed in the Powerplay in an unsuccessful bid to quell him and fellow left-hander Perera.

Sri Lanka were flying when Perera joined in on the carnage, carving Stoinis to the off-side boundary twice in as many balls and carting Starc for a monster six into the second tier.

But Zampa and Starc applied the brakes and it took an excellent rear-guard from Rajapaksa, another Sri Lankan with little international experience who has taken to international short-form cricket with impressive ease.

The left-hander targeted Stoinis at the death, taking 17 off his third and final over, including an improbable falling-over-sweep-shot to the short on-side boundary.

2021 Men's T20 World Cup

Australia's squad

Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserves: Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Daniel Sams

Australia's matches

Oct 23:Australia beat South Africa by five wickets

Oct 28:Australia beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets

Oct 30v England in Dubai (6pm local time, 1am Oct 31 AEDT)

Nov 4v Bangladesh in Dubai (2pm local time, 9pm AEDT)

Nov 6v West Indies in Abu Dhabi (2pm local time, 9pm AEDT)

All matches live and exclusive on Fox Cricket, available on Kayo Sports.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2021 ICC T20 WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SQUADS FOR ALL 16 TEAMS

Super 12 stage

Group 1: England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh

Group 2: India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Scotland, Namibia