165/10 (33.5)
CR : 4.88
214/10 (46.0)
CR : 4.65
Sri Lanka won by 49 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
C Asalanka
1/5127(126)
4:59 PM IST, Local Time | Sri Lanka win a low-scoring encounter to secure victory in the first ODI! They bundle out Australia to defend 214 runs and hand them a 49-run defeat to record a come-from-behind win!
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first, and after the Aussie pacers reduced them to 55/5 at one stage, Charith Asalanka took matters into his own hands. The Lankan skipper registered his best ODI career score (127 runs off 126 balls) to ensure his team posted a total of 214 all-out after 46 overs.
Sean Abbott was the pick of the bowlers with 3/61 from 9 overs. While, Spencer Johnson, Aaron Hardie and Nathan Ellis chipped in with two wickets each.
At the mid-innings break, Ellis said they need to survive the first 10 overs but Asitha Fernando came out all guns blazing to pick up the wicket of Matt Short in the very first over and open the floodgates for Sri Lanka.
Up until now, the pacers dominated the proceedings with only one wicket being picked up a spinner across both innings. However, the Lankan spinners at home had different ideas. Theekshana was introduced and he wasted no time in dismissing Cooper Conolly to reduced Australia to 18/3!
Wellalage backed up his spin compatriot with the big wicket of the Aussie skipper Steve Smith for 12 runs off 17 balls to put a dent in the Aussie batting lineup. Marnus and Carey built a 52-run partnership for the 5th wicket but Theekshana struck once again to dismiss Marnus for 15 runs off 27 balls.
The Lankan skipper once again made an impact in the game with the key wicket of Alex Carey for 41 runs off 38 balls to leave Australia with two new batters at the crease. Aaron Hardie and Sean Abbott showed fight and grit along with Adam Zampa but the Lankan spinners were simply too good today as they combined to bundle Australia out with 165 on the board.
Maheesh Theekshana registered 4/40 in 9.5 overs, Dunith Wellalage claimed 2/33 in 7 overs, and Asitha Fernando finished with 2/23 from 5 overs as Asalanka and Hasaranga picked up a wicket a piece to take their team over the finish line!
Up until now, the pacers dominated the proceedings with only one wicket being picked up a spinner across both innings. However, the Lankan spinners at home had different ideas. Theekshana was introduced and he wasted no time in dismissing Cooper Conolly to reduced Australia to 18/3!
Wellalage backed up his spin compatriot with the big wicket of the Aussie skipper Steve Smith for 12 runs off 17 balls to put a dent in the Aussie batting lineup. Marnus and Carey built a 52-run partnership for the 5th wicket but Theekshana struck once again to dismiss Marnus for 15 runs off 27 balls.
The Lankan skipper once again made an impact in the game with the key wicket of Alex Carey for 41 runs off 38 balls to leave Australia with two new batters at the crease. Aaron Hardie and Sean Abbott showed fight and grit along with Adam Zampa but the Lankan spinners were simply too good today as they combined to bundle Australia out with 165 on the board.
Maheesh Theekshana registered 4/40 in 9.5 overs, Dunith Wellalage claimed 2/33 in 7 overs, and Asitha Fernando finished with 2/23 from 5 overs as Asalanka and Hasaranga picked up a wicket a piece to take their team over the finish line!
Charith Asalanka gets a hug from head coach Sanath Jayasuriya.
Dunith Wellalage: "I am very happy today because Australia are a top side. I am happy to contribute to the win. The teammates gave me great support. Our coach told me to support Charith, I tried to do my best for the skipper.
Yeah, I think wicket was very good, I tried to bowl wicket to wicket. I think, this is one of the best performances of mine."
Yeah, I think wicket was very good, I tried to bowl wicket to wicket. I think, this is one of the best performances of mine."
Time for post-match presentation.
Player of the Match: Charith Asalanka
Steve Smith (Australia Captain): "The toss was not too important but Charith was the difference and batted with a few partners, our bowlers did a good job and our batters did not go unfortunately.
Steve Smith (Australia Captain): " (on toss) I don't think it was too important. The wicket played well. Charith was the difference. Our bowlers did well I think, batters did not get going. Seamers were getting movement, not a lot of turn but the ball was skidding on.
(On Champions Trophy) That is in our mind, big ICC event coming up. We were outplayed today but would look to comeback in the next game."
(On Champions Trophy) That is in our mind, big ICC event coming up. We were outplayed today but would look to comeback in the next game."
Charith Asalanka (Player of the Match and Sri Lanka Captain): "This innings is no. 1 for me so far. I just wanted to take the inning deeper and deeper and see how things go once the ball gets older. Wellalage came and smashed a few boundaries and that set the tone for me.
We should have got more runs but it was a tricky pitch. Ofcourse, we were confident to defend, because I batted more than 35-40 overs and I saw the ball is a little harder in the early overs and that's what I told my bowlers to do, to come in and pick up early wickets."
We should have got more runs but it was a tricky pitch. Ofcourse, we were confident to defend, because I batted more than 35-40 overs and I saw the ball is a little harder in the early overs and that's what I told my bowlers to do, to come in and pick up early wickets."
Well that's it from the first ODI as Sri Lanka take a 1-0 lead in the series! Hop tabs to join our coverage from the rest of the games LIVE!
This is Anirudh Modi, signing off along with my co-commentator Ajay Pal Singh, and our scorer/analyst Zeeshan Naiyer! See you on the next one.
This is Anirudh Modi, signing off along with my co-commentator Ajay Pal Singh, and our scorer/analyst Zeeshan Naiyer! See you on the next one.