ODI World Cup 2023: Australia defeats Sri Lanka by 5 wickets

Australia defeated Sri Lanka by 5 wickets at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow with 88 balls remaining. The 14th game of the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 saw Australia win for the first time thanks to half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis. Here is a recap of the first innings.

Australia bounces back after losing early wickets

Marsh and David Warner each smashed a four to help his team reach 15 runs off Lahiru Kumara’s first over as they attempted to reach their modest 210-run goal. Starting off, Dilshan Madhushanka started with a maiden over from the other end. After just one over, Maheesh Theekshana took over for Kumara. After bowling a maiden over, Madhsuhanka began the second over with a wicket on the first ball. Warner was given LBW; the opener reviewed the call and the ball tracking showed umpire’s call on hitting. On the final ball of the over, Steven Smith was out in the same over. Madhushanka struck two wickets in an over resulting in a double wicket maiden. 

After coming back into the attack, Kumara once more proved to be costly, giving up 11 runs as Marsh blasted two fours off his over. In the same over, Kumara briefly experienced happiness when umpire Chris Gaffney awarded Marnus Labuschagne for knicking one behind to the keeper. Replays showed the ball clipping the thigh pad rather than the gloves after Labuschagne reviewed the decision immediately. In his second over after entering the game on the power play, Dunith Wellalage let up 12 runs after being struck by Marsh for three fours. Australia scored 64 runs for the loss of two wickets at the end of the powerplay. Marsh scored 45 runs in 35 balls while using the power play, hitting nine fours. 

In just 39 balls, Marsh reached his half-century in the 12th over. This was an Australian batter’s first World Cup half-century. Soon after reaching fifty, Marsh was run out while attempting to score a second run that never existed. After making 52 runs in 51 balls and hitting nine fours, Marsh was dismissed.

Labuschagne and Inglis drive Australia home

Josh Inglis began his innings by hitting two fours on the first two balls he faced off Maheesh Theekshana’s bowling immediately after Marsh was dismissed. Wellalage kept up his tight bowling from the other end. In the 18th over, Australia reached their hundred-run milestone. Inglis kept up his aggressive batting style, occasionally hitting an unexpected boundary. Australia scored 109 runs for the cost of three wickets after 20 overs. While bowling some tight overs, Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva gave up 18 runs in four overs.

When Kumara returned to the attack, he let up 14 runs while being struck by Inglis for a four and a six. Despite the cost, Kumara received another over and again gave up a four. Inglis reached his half-century on 45 balls with that boundary. After giving up 47 runs in his four overs, Kumara was removed from the attack.

In the 29th over, Madhushanka rejoined the attack and immediately had an effect by taking Marnus Labuschagne’s wicket. Labuschagne pulled a short ball straight to the fielder at midwicket. In 60 balls, Labuschagne scored 40 runs while hitting two fours. The fifth ball Glenn Maxwell faced resulted in a four, giving him a good start. Maxwell crushed Madhushanka for three fours in the following over, scoring 13 runs. Maxwell kept up the offensive strategy, striking two sixes in the following over against Theekshana. Wellalage came back into the attack replacing Theekshana and dismissed half-centurion, Inglis on the first ball of his over. Inglis scored 58 runs in 59 balls hitting five fours and one six. Marcus Stoinis started his innings with a four on the first and fifth balls he faced.