T20 World Cup 2022: Australia vs Sri Lanka, Highlights, Player of the Match, Comments: Stoinis powers Aus

Midway
through
the
second
innings,
the
Super
12
game
could
have
gone
in
favour
of
any
team,
but
since
the
time
Stoinis
stepped
onto
the
crease
it
was
over
for
Lanka.
Hammering
the
fastest
fifty
for
Australia,
Stoinis’ unbeaten
59
off
18,
saw
the
defending
champions
chase
down
the
target
with
21
balls
to
spare,
which
gave
their
runrate
a
big
boost.

After
being
sent
into
bat
first,
Sri
Lanka
got
off
to
a
shaky
start
as
they
lost
opener
Kusal
Mendis
in
the
second
over
and
was
reduced
to
6/1
in
1.5
overs.
Pat
Cummins
handed
Australia
the
early
wicket
as
Mendis
looking
to
drag
it
to
the
leg
side,
skied
it
and
was
picked
up
by
Mitchell
Marsh.

T20
WORLD
CUP
SPECIAL
PAGE

1

53403

The
powerplay
saw
Lanka
score
at
a
run-a-ball
as
they
posted
just
36/1.
The
Lankan
batters
found
it
tough
to
cross
the
boundary
ropes
as
they
toiled
to
63/1
in
ten
overs.
Though
Lanka
didn’t
lose
any
wickets,
adding
69
off
58
for
the
second
wicket,
brilliant
fielding
by
the
defending
champions,
kept
Lanka
in
check.

After
he
pulled
off
a
stunning
save
at
the
boundary
ropes
in
just
the
previous
over,
David
Warner
pulled
off
another
stunner
of
a
catch
as
Lanka
lost
their
second.
Ashton
Agar,
who
came
into
the
side
in
place
of
Adam
Zampa
–
who
tested
covid
positive,
picked
up
his
first
wicket
as
Dhananjaya
de
Silva
departed
for
26
off
23
after
being
picked
up
by
Warner
at
long-off.

Charith
Asalanka
coming
in
at
No.
4
finally
gave
the
Lankan
runrate
a
much-needed
boost
as
he
hammered
Marsh
for
14
runs
in
the
13th
over.
But
Lanka
lost
two
quick
wickets,
as
after
Silva,
a
run
out
cost
the
set
Nissanka
his
wicket.
The
opener
departed
for
a
slow
45-ball
40
as
Lanka
was
reduced
to
97/3
in
13.3
overs.
After
the
second-wicket
stand,
Lanka
lost
a
flurry
of
wickets,
as
Bhanuka
Rajapaksa
(7
off
5),
skipper
Dasun
Shanaka
(3
off
5)
and
Wanindu
Hasaranga
(1
off
4)
departed
for
single
digits
as
Australia
continued
to
dominate
the
first
innings.

The
only
hope
for
Lanka
was
Asalanka,
who
kept
the
scoreboard
ticking.
Asalana
and
Chamika
Karunaratne
added
37
off
15
for
the
seventh
wicket
to
give
the
Lankan
bowlers
something
to
defend.
While
Asalanka
struck
an
unbeated
38
off
25,
studded
with
three
fours
and
two
sixes,
Karunaratne
scored
a
quickfire
14
off
7.
The
final
over
saw
Cummins
leak
20
runs
as
Lanka
posted
157/6.

In
reply,
Australia
got
off
to
a
steady
start,
before
losing
opener
Warner
for
early.
At
the
end
of
the
powerplay,
the
defending
champions
were
trailing
behind
Lanka.
While
SL
had
posted
36/1
in
the
powerplay,
Australia’s
score
read
33/1.

Following
the
powerplay,
Mitchell
Marsh
hammered
Hasaranga
for
15,
but
fell
in
the
very
next
over.
Glenn
Maxwell
coming
in
at
No.
4
took
right
off
as
he
raced
to
22
off
just
6.
In
the
tenth
over,
Maxwell
hammered
Hasaranga
for
19
runs
to
put
the
pressure
back
on
Lanka.
After
lagging
in
the
powerplay,
a
couple
of
overs
later
Australia
was
in
charge
as
they
reached
85/2
after
ten
overs.

Karunaratne
put
the
brakes
with
Maxwell’s
wicket.
After
sub
Bandara
dropped
captain
Finch
on
the
first
delivery
of
the
13th
over,
he
picked
up
a
superb
catch
on
the
very
next
delivery
as
Maxwell
departed
after
a
quickfire
23
off
12.
But
despite
losing
Maxwell,
Australia
cruised
towards
the
win.
Looking
to
give
their
runrate
a
boost,
Marcus
Stoinis
single-handedly
took
control
of
the
game
as
he
raced
to
46
off
15,
bringing
up
his
fifty
off
just
17
deliveries.

Stoinis
who
raced
to
53
off
just
17
deliveries,
hammered
four
boundaries
and
five
sixes
to
score
the
fastest
fifty
for
Australia
in
T20I
cricket.
Playing
in
front
of
his
home
crowd,
Stoinis’ innings
was
studded
with
four
boundaries
and
six
sixes.
Both
Australia
and
Sri
Lanka
have
won
one
and
lost
one
in
the
Super
12
stage
now.

Here
are
the
match
comments,
player
of
the
match,
post-match
presentation
highlights
of
the
Australia
vs
Sri
Lanka
match
Super
12
match
in
Perth
on
Tuesday:

Player-of-the-Match:
Marcus
Stoinis
(59n.o
off
18)

Marcus
Stoinis
(Aus):
Ronny
told
me
to
have
a
look
at
the
quicks,
and
if
I
felt
comfortable
then
to
have
a
got
at
the
spinners.
Once
I
got
in,
the
plan
was
to
just
get
going.
To
be
honest,
I
was
really
nervous
going
in
today,
playing
in
home,
in
front
of
a
lot
of
family
and
friends.
Mentally
I
was
fresh,
I
took
some
time
out
due
to
the
side
strain,
but
good
so
far.
We
played
here
against
England,
it
was
a
beautiful
wicket.
This
did
look
like
it
was
doing
a
little
bit
more,
especially
against
the
new
ball.
It’s
probably
the
best
ground
in
Australia
–
if
not
the
world,
it’s
my
home
ground.
We
wrapped
this
game
up
and
we’re
looking
forward
to
playing
England
at
MCG.
They’re
obviously
good.
We
did
our
homework
here
and
we’ll
do
our
homework
again,
rest
up
and
take
it
from
there.

Aaron
Finch
(AUS),
Winning
Captain:
Very
happy!
Obviously
my
innings
was
unusual.
It
was
poor
–
just
couldn’t
hit
the
ball.
But
I
thought
the
way
we
approached
with
the
bat
was
fine.
We
knew
four
or
five
overs
with
the
ball,
with
Kumara
nipping
it
around
–
was
seaming
a
long
way
there
–
so
if
we
could
get
through
that
none
or
one
down
then
it
was
going
to
be
really
important
to
set
up
the
back
end
of
the
innings.
It
would
have
been
nice
if
I
could
have
kicked
in
earlier
and
made
the
chase
a
bit
easier.
But
all
in
all
pretty
clinical,
with
the
ball
as
well.
It
was
tough,
it’s
such
a
big
ground.
It’s
nice
to
get
two
points.
(Stoinis)
Very
special
innings.
Walking
out
to
bat
and
you
have
that
intent
–
that’s
special.
When
you
walk
out
and
you
have
that
presence
at
the
crease,
that’s
half
the
battle
in
T20
cricket.
When
you
have
the
skill
and
the
strength
that
he’s
got,
it’s
a
pretty
good
combo.
(England
next)
It’s
always
a
great
event.
Any
format
of
the
game,
anywhere
in
the
world,
it’s
pretty
special.
We’re
looking
forward
to
it.

Dasun
Shanaka
(SL),
Losing
Captain:
We
started
really
well
and
finished
well.
The
middle
phase
we
didn’t
get
going
and
fell
15-20
runs
short.
(Fitness)
The
fast
bowlers
weren’t
well
prepared,
coming
in
after
injury.
So
that’s
the
reason
I
think
they’re
getting
injured
most
of
the
times.
It
was
really
tough
with
the
new
ball.
It’s
too
hard
to
get
going.
Even
Finch
struggled
with
the
new
ball.
It
was
the
latter
mark
that
played
really
well.
(Rate
team’s
performance)
Maybe
5
of
4.