LUCKNOW, India: Five-time champions Australia secured their first win at the Cricket World Cup with a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Monday with almost 15 overs to spare and after a rain delay, high winds and dust from a sand storm.
Adam Zampa spun out Sri Lanka with 4-47 in eight overs as he helped trigger a Sri Lankan batting collapse. Cruising at 125-0 at one point, the 1996 champions crashed to 209 all out in 43.3 overs, losing all 10 wickets for just 84 runs. Openers Pathum Nissanka (61) and Kusal Perera (78) were the only significant scorers.
In reply, Australia rode on half-centuries from Josh Inglis and Mitch Marsh, as they reached 215-5 in 35.2 overs. Inglis top-scored for Australia with 58 runs off 59 balls, including five fours and a six.
After straight losses to host India and South Africa, Australia moved off the bottom of the 10-team table to eighth. They’re level on two points with fifth-place England, Afghanistan and Bangladesh but trail those teams on net run-rate.
“After the first two losses, there was definitely a flat feeling ... We all felt we could do our roles better,” said Zampa, who was player of the match. “But if we get on a roll, then anything can happen. It’s a World Cup so we can get on a roll.”
Sri Lanka are ninth after their seventh consecutive loss to Australia in World Cups, and a third straight loss in this edition.
Skipper Kusal Mendis called correctly as Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat. Mendis took over captaincy duties from Dasun Shanaka, who has been ruled out of the tournament with a thigh injury.
Sri Lanka have lost to South Africa and to Pakistan in high-scoring games.
The match started in Lucknow within hours of the International Olympic Committee voting in Mumbai to include cricket on its sports program for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. India are bidding to host the 2036 Olympics.
Sri Lanka made a great start with its openers blasting the Australian bowling. Perera hit 12 fours, while Nissanka had eight boundaries.
Sri Lanka seemed set for a par-plus total on a spin-friendly wicket, when pacer Pat Cummins (2-32) returned for an inspirational spell.
He had Nissanka caught in the 22nd over when David Warner took a fabulous catch at square leg. Perera and Mendis put on 32 runs for the second wicket in what surprisingly turned out to be Sr Lanka’s second highest partnership of the day. Cummins broke through again, bowling Perera in the 27th over.
Zampa then got into the act. Mendis was out caught for nine, as Warner provided another catch at deep midwicket. Then he trapped Sadeera Samarawickrama lbw for eight runs, and was on a hat trick between overs but missed it.
Mitchell Starc bowled Dhananjaya de Silva for seven, while Cummins ran out Dunith Wellalage cheaply, as Australia exhibited an energy in the field unseen in its two previous games.
Zampa had another double blow by the 40th over, sending back Chamira Karunaratne and Maheesh Theekshana, both out lbw.
Starc bowled Lahiru Kumara for four as Sri Lanka’s hopes of a late-order scoring spree faded. It had lost the last nine wickets for 52 runs in the span of 17.1 overs.
Chasing a lowly 210, Australia lost Warner early. He was out lbw for 11 to Dilshan Madushanka (3-38), as another dubious umpire’s call via DRS review became a topic of debate.
Madushanka struck again in the same fourth over, trapping Steve Smith for a five-ball duck – no controversy this time round.
Marsh then steadied the innings with some attacking strokes. He had Marnus Labuschagne for company, as the duo added 57 runs off 63 balls for the third wicket.
Marsh shrugged off his past two failures to score 52 off 51, including nine fours. He was run out in the 15th over.
Labuschagne and Inglis did not allow Sri Lanka to get back in the game. They added 77 mostly chanceless runs for the fourth wicket and negated the spin bowlers with clever rotation of strike.
Inglis guided the innings well, while Labuschagne was out for 40 off 60 balls. He was Madushanka’s third dismissal of the night.
There was no reason for worry as Inglis reached 50 off 46. While he was dismissed just before the finish, Glenn Maxwell made it a formality, smacking 31 not out off 21 balls.
Maxwell, an IPL star admired across India, hit four fours and two sixes to regale the sparse Lucknow crowd.
The teams had already earlier been taken off during Sri Lanka’s innings for a half-hour rain delay before the match was halted again during the 43rd over when the winds increased. Dust from a sand storm was blowing across the playing surface while advertising banners at the top of the stands came loose and went onto the outfield, while debris from temporary structures also fell down into the spectator seats.
Following a short delay of a few minutes, play resumed and Sri Lanka’s innings was soon brought to a close.
Australia next play Pakistan in Bengaluru on Friday, while Sri Lanka remain in Lucknow to play Netherlands on Saturday.
“We have a big game coming up, and to go two in two, we would feel much better,” Zampa said.
The tournament continues Tuesday with South Africa-Netherlands in Dharamsala.
