In an exciting encounter at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 5th October 2024, Australia Women registered a commanding 6-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Women in Match 5 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Sri Lanka, after opting to bat first, struggled to post a challenging total as they were restricted to 93/7 in 20 overs. Australia’s bowlers, led by a brilliant performance from Megan Schutt, who took 3 wickets for 12 runs, stifled Sri Lanka’s batting lineup. In reply, Beth Mooney anchored Australia’s chase with an unbeaten knock of 43 off 38 balls, guiding her team to 94/4 in just 14.2 overs.
Sri Lanka’s Innings: 93/7 in 20 Overs
Sri Lanka opted to bat first but found it tough to gather momentum throughout their innings. The Australian bowlers were clinical, bowling tight lines and ensuring Sri Lanka never got off to a solid start. Here’s a detailed breakdown of Sri Lanka’s innings:
Fall of Wickets – Sri Lanka:
- Vishmi Gunaratne: Dismissed by Megan Schutt, lbw for 0 (10 balls), leaving Sri Lanka at 6/1 in 3 overs.
- Chamari Athapaththu (captain): Fell to Ash Gardner, lbw for 3 (12 balls), reducing Sri Lanka to 6/2 in 3.2 overs.
- Kaveesha Dilhari: Run out (Wareham) for 5 (6 balls), leaving Sri Lanka struggling at 25/3 in 6.4 overs.
- Harshitha Samarawickrama: Caught by Sophie Molineux for 23 (35 balls), ending the 4th wicket partnership with Sri Lanka at 56/4 in 13 overs.
- Hasini Perera: Caught by Georgia Wareham off Gardner for 2 (4 balls), further sinking Sri Lanka to 65/5 in 15.1 overs.
- Anushka Sanjeewani (wk): Caught by Georgia Wareham off Megan Schutt for 16 (15 balls), with Sri Lanka at 89/6 in 19.1 overs.
- Sugandika Kumari: Bowled by Beth Mooney for 0 (1 ball), leaving Sri Lanka at 89/7 in 19.2 overs.
Top Batting Performance – Sri Lanka:
- Nilakshika Silva: Silva was the top-scorer for Sri Lanka, remaining unbeaten on 29 off 40 balls. She played cautiously, holding one end as wickets kept tumbling. However, she was unable to accelerate the scoring rate due to the mounting pressure from the Australian bowlers.
- Harshitha Samarawickrama: Samarawickrama added 23 off 35 balls, the only other notable contribution from the top and middle order. Her innings, though patient, didn’t help the team to post a competitive total due to the loss of partners.
- Anushka Sanjeewani: Played a small cameo of 16 off 15 balls, but her dismissal towards the end sealed Sri Lanka’s fate, making it impossible for them to reach a defendable target.
Sri Lanka’s Bowling Struggles:
Overall, Sri Lanka’s total of 93/7 was far below par, primarily due to tight bowling from the Australian attack. Despite attempting to build partnerships, Sri Lanka’s innings lacked acceleration, and no significant partnerships were formed to shift momentum in their favor.
Australia’s Bowling Performance:
Top Bowling Performance Review – Australia:
- Megan Schutt: The standout performer of the match, Schutt took 3 wickets for just 12 runs in her 4 overs, with an impressive economy rate of 3.00. She removed both Sri Lankan openers, Vishmi Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu, early in the innings, dealing a massive blow to Sri Lanka’s top order. Schutt was also responsible for removing Anushka Sanjeewani towards the end of the innings, preventing Sri Lanka from finishing strongly. Her ability to pick up wickets at crucial moments earned her the Player of the Match award.
- Sophie Molineux: Molineux, who took 2 wickets for 20 runs in her 4 overs, maintained pressure during the middle overs, picking up the key wicket of Harshitha Samarawickrama, Sri Lanka’s top run-scorer. Her consistency in the middle overs ensured that Sri Lanka could never build a substantial partnership.
- Ash Gardner: Gardner’s 4 overs yielded 1 wicket for 14 runs. She bowled economically and dismissed Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu, further denting Sri Lanka’s hopes of posting a competitive total.
Australia’s Chase: 94/4 in 14.2 Overs
Australia’s chase began with some early jitters as they lost Alyssa Healy in the very first over, dismissed by Udeshika Prabodani. However, Beth Mooney played a calm and composed knock, ensuring there were no further hiccups in the chase.
Fall of Wickets – Australia:
- Alyssa Healy: Out for 4 (3 balls) after being bowled by Udeshika Prabodani, with Australia at 8/1 in 0.4 overs.
- Georgia Wareham: Run out by Kaveesha Dilhari for 3 (6 balls), reducing Australia to 14/2 in 2.1 overs.
- Ellyse Perry: Bowled by Sugandika Kumari for 17 (15 balls), Australia at 35/3 in 5.3 overs.
- Ash Gardner: Caught by Harshitha Samarawickrama off Inoka Ranaweera for 12 (15 balls), leaving Australia at 78/4 in 12.1 overs.
Top Batting Performance Review – Australia:
- Beth Mooney: Mooney was the backbone of the Australian chase, remaining unbeaten on 43 off 38 balls. Her innings included 4 boundaries, and she played with caution initially before accelerating the chase as the required run rate came under control. Mooney’s calm and controlled approach allowed Australia to recover after the early dismissals and steer the chase smoothly to victory.
- Ellyse Perry: Perry added 17 off 15 balls to stabilize Australia after the early loss of wickets. Her contribution ensured that the team didn’t falter during the middle overs and kept them on track to chase down the modest total.
- Phoebe Litchfield: Litchfield’s unbeaten 9 off 9 balls was a steady contribution that complemented Mooney’s effort in guiding Australia over the line.
Sri Lanka’s Bowling Performance:
Sri Lanka’s bowlers tried their best to defend the low total, but the lack of enough runs on the board left them with little margin for error.
- Udeshika Prabodani: The most successful Sri Lankan bowler, Prabodani struck early by dismissing Alyssa Healy in the first over. Her 3 overs yielded 1 wicket for 19 runs, and she maintained a steady line and length.
- Sugandika Kumari: Kumari bowled economically and took the important wicket of Ellyse Perry, finishing with figures of 1/16 in 2.2 overs.
- Inoka Ranaweera: Ranaweera bowled 3 overs, giving away 20 runs and picking up the wicket of Ash Gardner. However, by that stage, Australia had nearly sealed the game.
Man of the Match Performance Review – Megan Schutt:
Megan Schutt was awarded the Player of the Match for her outstanding bowling performance. Schutt’s 3 wickets for 12 runs broke the back of Sri Lanka’s top order, and her economical spell put them on the back foot from the start. Her early breakthroughs, combined with her ability to bowl tight lines, restricted Sri Lanka to a below-par total, making her the game-changer. Schutt’s bowling figures of 4 overs, 1 maiden, 12 runs, and 3 wickets speak volumes about her impact on the match.
Conclusion:
Australia’s 6-wicket victory over Sri Lanka was a showcase of their all-around strength in both departments of the game. Megan Schutt’s match-winning spell and Beth Mooney’s composed innings ensured a comfortable win for Australia. Sri Lanka, despite showing glimpses of resilience, were outplayed in both batting and bowling, and will need to regroup for their upcoming matches. Australia, on the other hand, look strong contenders for the title with this commanding performance.
