Josh Hazlewood 4/12, Ben McDermott 53 Helps Australia Continue T20I Winning Streak vs Sri Lanka

Josh Hazlewood ended with brilliant figures to help Australia win the first T20I in Sydney against Sri Lanka and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood helped Australia beat Sri Lanka in the first T20I. (Image credit: ICC Twitter)
By Siddharth vishwanathan | Feb 11, 2022 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Josh Hazlewood’s brilliant haul of 4/12, combined with Adam Zampa’s 3/18 and an aggressive fifty from Ben McDermott continued Australia’s winning streak against Sri Lanka. In the first T20I in Sydney, Australia registered a comfortable 20-run win against Sri Lanka to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series on Friday. This was the sixth consecutive win for Australia against Sri Lanka in the format and it extended their head-to-head record to 10-8. It was a night of comebacks on an epic scale. Josh Hazlewood, who missed four out of the five Ashes Tests, looked in sublime form and his three wickets in the second spell changed the game.

Ben McDermott, who had struggled in his first couple of games earlier, finally carried his Big Bash League form into the international arena. McDermott had hit two consecutive centuries and he was tipped to continue his good run in the international stage on his comeback.

Sri Lanka chose to bowl on a sluggish Sydney wicket, with Australia handing a debut to Josh Inglis. Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka’s most impressive spinner, struck a crucial blow when he had skipper Aaron Finch out cheaply for 8. But, from that point on, it was the McDermott and Inglis show.

Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis Revive Australia

McDermott had started aggressively with a six off Hasaranga while Inglis got going with a boundary of Maheesh Theekshana. Hasaranga continued to get punishment from McDermott, the batter launching him for another six and four. A 20-minute rain delay slightly slowed Australia’s momentum but not McDermott. He tonked Dushmantha Chameera for a four and six to near his fifty.

Read – Justin Langer steps down as Australia coach, former players slam Cricket Board

Inglis also looked in fine touch but the partnership ended when Chamika Karunaratne sent Inglis back. Hasaranga came back and got the big wicket of Glenn Maxwell cheaply. McDermott reached his fifty but Hasaranga continued taking wickets by getting Steve Smith with a googly. When Karunaratne sent back McDermott for 53, Australia had lost all momentum.

Stoinis hammered Theekshana for a six and four and he repeated the dose on Chameera as Australia neared 150. However, Stoinis’ knock ended thanks to a brilliant catch from Dasun Shanaka off Binura Fernando. Chameera sent back Adam Zamp and Pat Cummins as Sri Lanka restricted Australia to 149/9.

Zampa, Hazlewood boost Australia

Australia built the pressure by not giving away too many runs in the opening overs. It was Josh Hazlewood who capitalized when he sent back Danushka Gunathilaka cheaply. Pathum Nissanka was in great touch and he launched Mitchell Starc for a four and six over deep midwicket. Pat Cummins struck in his first over when Avishka Fernando was out cheaply. Nissanka benefited from a dropped catch as Australia looked to build pressure.

Nissanka hit another four while Charith Asalanka also signaled his intent with two fours off the left-arm pacer. The duo looked dangerous and the partnership was growing. But, that was the moment when Adam Zampa spun a web. He sent back both Nissanka and Asalanka in the same over to dent Sri Lanka. Zampa took his third when he sent back Hasaranga. Another short delay forced the match to be reduced to 19 overs. Hazlewood put the contest out of Sri Lanka’s grasp when he took the wickets of Chamika Karunaratne and Dushmantha Chameera. When Cummins sent back Dinesh Chandimal, Australia had gone 1-0 up. The next match will be played in Sydney on February 13.





Related Post

HIGHLIGHTS

Buzzwords