Australia thrashed by Sri Lanka in final match before Champions Trophy
2025-02-14
Category: sports

Second one-day international, Colombo Sri Lanka 281-4 (50 overs): K Mendis 101, Asalanka 78Australia 107 (24.2 overs): Smith 29; Wellalage 4-35, Hasaranga 3-23Sri Lanka won by 174 runs; won series 2-0 Scorecard
Australia were thrashed by 174 runs by Sri Lanka in their final one-day international before their Champions Trophy opener against England.The injury-hit world champions were bowled out for 107 in pursuit of 281 in Colombo, sealing a sorry 2-0 series defeat against a side who did not qualify for the tournament in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.After Travis Head, Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk fell to seamer Asitha Fernando inside seven overs, Australia reached 79-3 before losing their final seven wickets for 28 runs - all to Sri Lanka's spinners on a slow, turning pitch.Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage initiated the collapse by bowling Josh Inglis for 22 and ended with figures of 4-35.All-rounder Aaron Hardie was caught at slip off leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga for a four-ball duck in the next over and Glenn Maxwell was bowled for one by a turning Wellalage five balls later.Hasaranga added the wicket of Australia captain Steve Smith, lbw for 29, and finished with 3-23. Only a final-wicket partnership of 13 between Adam Zampa and Tanveer Sangha ensured Australia reached three figures.
It was Australia's heaviest defeat against Sri Lanka in terms of runs and their fifth-heaviest against any opposition.Kusal Mendis hit 101 from 115 runs and Charith Asalanka 78 not out from 66 in Sri Lanka's 281-4."We have been outplayed but used a lot of players and got a lot out of it," said Smith, who is standing in as skipper for injured bowler Pat Cummins."It was a fine bowling performance by Sri Lanka and not a great batting performance."We will keep moving forward. Credit to Sri Lanka."Australia's build-up for the Champions Trophy has been hit by injuries to Cummins, bowler Josh Hazlewood and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, plus Marcus Stoinis' retirement and Mitchell Starc opting to miss the tournament.Their first match is against England, who go into the match on the back of their 3-0 series defeat by India, on 22 February.South Africa and Afghanistan are also in the four-team group.