COLOMBO: Sri Lankan batters failed to fire for the second consecutive T20 match against Australia and managed 124-9 in Colombo after the visitors won the toss and chose to field Wednesday.
The reigning T20 champions only need 125 to win the three match T20 series after they thrashed Dasun Shanaka-led team for a 10-wicket victory in the first T20 match on Tuesday.
Australia’s maverick all-rounder Glenn Maxwell opened the bowling with his off-spin and took 2-18 in his three overs to lead a tight bowling performance.
Maxwell was very well supported by pacers Jhye Richardson, who finished with 3-26 in his four overs, and Kane Richardson, who took four wickets and only gave away 30 runs in his spell.
Aaron Finch’s side kept the hosts under pressure throughout their innings with probing lines, sharp fielding and timely wickets.
Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka (3) and Danushka Gunathilaka (4) fell very early to Jhye and Maxwell before a 66-run stand between Charith Asalanka and Kusal Mendis gave some stability to the faltering innings.
Asalanka fell for 33-ball 39, with two fours and two sixes, to Maxwell and Mendis fell soon after that to Jhye after a 36-ball 36.
The hosts’ innings never took off and the team could only reach 63-2 after the first 10 overs and lost too many wickets in the second half of their innings.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa (13), Shanaka (14) and Wanindu Hasaranga (12) once again exposed the weakness in Sri Lanka’s inexperienced middle-order.
The team suffered a similar batting collapse on Tuesday and were bowled out for 128 in the first T20.
Josh Hazlewood, who was the top performer for his team in the first match, bowled four wicketless but tight overs for 16 runs.
Australia’s frontline spinner Ashton Agar finished his four overs for 27 runs without a wicket.
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