In the 14th encounter of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 between Australia and Sri Lanka, the Aussie bowlers ran through the middle order of Sri Lanka reducing them to just 209 runs in 43.3 overs.Adam Zampa led the Australian attack after Sri Lankan skipper Kusal Mendis invited them to bowl first.Sri Lanka bowled out for 209.Its our time to defend with all our might!#LankanLions #SLvAUS #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/mO36oS96Xe— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 16, 2023 As it happenedSri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera have started the proceedings well and scored 51 runs without losing any wickets in the powerplay. Australian bowlers have failed to create any opportunities to scalp wickets. The openers added 125 runs in 21.4 overs. for the first wicket. The partnership was broken by the Aussie skipper Pat Cummins, who dismissed Pathum Nissanka for 61. The next wicket came in the form of Kuasal Parera, who also was dismissed by Cummins.What a brilliant innings by Kusal Janith Perera! 🔥 Scored 78 off 82 balls!#CWC23 #LankanLions #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/YPQ7npEY6Y— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 16, 2023 Middle order collapse After the departure of Kusal Parera, the Sri Lankan batting order collapsed like a deck of cards. Adam Zampa scalped four wickets to help his side fold Sri Lanka. Only Charith Asalanka put up a fight and managed to score 25 runs, meanwhile, the rest of the batters failed measurably and failed to went pass the single-digit score.Adam Zampa, with his best figures at the ODI World Cup, was instrumental in Sri Lankas latter-overs decline #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/yC4aOSWsxB— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 16, 2023 There was a short rain delay in between, following which Australian bowlers completely dominated the game completely.Zampa removed Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne, and Maheesh Theekshana in single-digit scores. Australias speedster Mitchell Star and Pat Cummins claimed two wickets each and spinner Glenn Maxwell secured one scalp.Dunith Wellalage was run out of by the brilliance of Pat Cummins.Team NewsEarlier, Sri Lanka made two changes in the playing XI as Dasun Shanaka and Matheesha Pathirana made way for Chamika Karunaratne and Lahiru Kumara into the playing XI. Meanwhile, Australia stuck with the same playing XI as the previous game.Both teams sit at bottom of points tableBoth teams are at the bottom of the points table and have yet to win a match in the top global ODI event. Australia has lost to India and South Africa while Sri Lanka has lost against South Africa and Pakistan.
