Opener David Warner struck form with an attacking 65 to help Australia to their second successive victory in the Twenty20 World Cup with a seven-wicket thrashing of Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Warner, who was dropped from his IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad last month after two bad games, smashed 10 fours in his 42-ball knock as Australia achieved their target of 155 with 18 balls to spare in Dubai.
Warner and skipper Aaron Finch, who made 37, took apart the Sri Lankan bowlers with an opening stand of 70.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa returned impressive figures of 2-12 to help restrict Sri Lanka to 154-6 despite Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s unbeaten 33 off 26 balls.
In reply the left-right batting pair of Warner and Finch punished the opposition pace bowlers with regular boundaries while successfully thwarting mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana.
Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga got Finch against the run of play as the batsman chopped a googly onto his stumps. He hit 37 off 23 deliveries.
Glenn Maxwell’s promotion to number three did not bear results as he fell in Hasaranga’s next over for five, but there was no stopping Warner.
The left-handed batsman, who survived a reprieve on 18 when wicketkeeper Kusal Perera dropped an easy catch off Dushmantha Chameera, reached his fifty in 31 balls.
Warner finally fell to Dasun Shanaka before Steve Smith, who made 28, and Marcus Stoinis, who made 16, carried the team home.
Earlier Zampa checked Sri Lanka’s brisk start after Charith Asalanka and Kusal Perera – both scoring 35 – put on 63 for the second wicket.
Pat Cummins struck first with the wicket of Pathum Nissanka in the third over of the innings, but new man Asalanka soon hit bat back with three straight boundaries off the fast bowler.
The left-handed Asalanka kept up the charge and took on Maxwell’s spin as Sri Lanka managed 64 runs off the first six overs of powerplay.—AFP
