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Labuschagne leads Australia’s fight on rain-hit Day 1
Marnus Labuschagne batted out 120 balls for his unbeaten 44 to give Australia the edge on the topsy-turvy, rain-hit opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. As the overheads decided to alternate between bright sunshine and gloom, Pakistan bowlers’ inconsistency cost them as they could only manage three wickets by stumps, with 187 runs on the board for Australia.
Shan Masood’s success at the toss made way for Australia to bat first. But much to the chagrin of the visitors, sun shone brightly very soon after overcast conditions welcomed the two skippers at the toss. Pakistan still had an early window of opportunity with the new ball moving around but they didn’t make it count as they fluffed a straightforward chance that came their way as early as the third over. David Warner was expertly squared up by a Shaheen Afridi delivery but Abdullah Shafique dropped a sitter at slips. The grey clouds cleared out and the two Aussie openers got rather comfortable and began to pick quick runs after the drinks break.
They were all set to head to Lunch without any damage when, against the run of play, Agha Salman had Warner nicking to slip. This time there was no reprieve as Babar Azam completed the catch. When play resumed post Lunch, the gloomy conditions were back and batting became a struggle. With Khawaja departing early in the second session, Australia had two of their best grafters in the face of such adversity – Labuschagne and Steve Smith – to navigate past a period where the ball swung consistently and brought a densely-populated slip cordon into the game.
Shaheen Afridi kept the two batters on their toes but they too didn’t budge and perish to the pressures of the passage of play that saw them score just six runs off 57 balls since Khawaja’s exit. It looked like a reward for their tight bowling was round the corner for Pakistan, but what came instead was rain that ended the session early, with only 15.3 overs played in it.
When action finally resumed for the final session, the Pakistan quicks were in play again as they kept beating the outside edge of Smith’s bat. The former captain struggled as Aamer Jamal constantly tested his resolve with an outside offstump line, inviting him to drive. The ball that brought Smith’s wicket was closer to the off-stump as the Aussie batter looked to defend it after shuffling across. There wasn’t too much of an appeal from the keeper but Jamal was convinced and pushed Masood to take a review. That proved to be an excellent decision as replays showed a faint spike on the snickometer, sending Smith packing for a 75-ball 26.
Travis Head copped a full toss on his shoulder from Afridi and a ball – the very next one – that cut him in half and nearly took out the top of off-stump but the left-hander survived. He kept Labuschagne company for the next 8.1 overs till stumps. It was a day of missed opportunities for Pakistan as inconsistency from their pacers meant they only had three wickets to show for at the end of it.
Brief Scores:
Australia 187/3 in 66 overs (Marnus Labuschagne 44*, Usman Khawaja 42, David Warner 38, Steven Smith 26; Agha Salman 1-5) vs Pakistan
(Cricbuzz)
Sri Lanka survived an early onslaught to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eights, leaving Australia right at the exit door and hoping for a miracle.
The returning captain Mitchell Marsh and the returning-to-runs Travis Head were brutal in taking Australia to 104 in the first 50 legal deliveries, but some spectacular fielding and spin bowling helped Sri Lanka take 10 for 77 off the last 70 balls.
In front of a partying full house in Pallekele, Sri Lanka’s two most prolific batters, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, brought out both the axe and paper cuts to slice through the chase. Nissanka, who had earlier dropped Glenn Maxwell and then dismissed him with a stunner, went on to score an unbeaten hundred and take Sri Lanka home with two overs to spare.
In the absence of Matheesha Pathirana, who walked off with a calf injury in his first over, their spinners contributed six wickets to go with excellent closing from Dushmantha Chameera. Australia’s lead spinner Adam Zampa, among the best T20 spinners of all time, took no wicket and was lucky to go for only 41 in his four overs.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 184/2 in 18 overs [Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51, Pavan Rathnayake 2*; Marcus Stoinis 2-41] beat Australia 181/10 in 20 overs [Mitchell Marsh 54, Travis Head 56, Josh Inglis 27, Glenn Maxwell 22; Dushmantha Chameera 2-56, Maheesh Theekshana 1-37, Dushan Hemantha 3-37, Dunith Wellalage 1-33, Kamindu Mendis 1-19] by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
A win against Canada in their first T20I against them on Tuesday will firm up New Zealand’s spot in the Super Eight. This result will also knock out Canada; South Africa have already qualified for the next round from Group D with three wins in as many games.
New Zealand have faced Canada just three times in international cricket so far – each time in ODI World Cups. Their most recent meeting coming in the 2011 edition in Mumbai. They have won all three games and are poised to make it 4-0 against Canada in World Cups, despite the absence of Lockie Ferguson. The fast bowler has returned home for the birth of his first child and is expected to link up with the side ahead of the Super Eight. In Ferguson’s absence, Kyle Jamieson, who wasn’t even in the main squad in the first place, is set to make his T20 World Cup bow.
As for Canada, they had their moments against South Africa and UAE but they have failed to convert those into wins. On Friday in Delhi, they had UAE at 66 for 4 in the 13th over in a chase of 151, but they left the door ajar for Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan to sneak home. Canada can’t afford such slip-ups against New Zealand – and then Afghanistan – if they are to notch up a win in this World Cup.
Kyle Jamieson doesn’t quite have Ferguson’s express pace, but can bang it away on a hard length and stifle the opposition batters. He also has some slower variations in his repertoire and his high-arm release could pose a big threat, especially to batters who are facing him for the first time.
Once known as “Vettori” in Canada’s club cricket circuit, Saad Bin Zafar will run into the team that was once captained by one of his heroes. The Canada left-arm spinner often attacks the stumps and keeps it tight, as his economy rate of 6.02 across 67 T20Is suggests. At 39, Saad knows he won’t be playing the game for long and will be eager to cause a few upsets on the big stage.
Jamieson is set to slot in for Ferguson unless New Zealand want to give veteran legspinner Ish Sodhi a game.
New Zealand (probable): Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), Jimmy Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy
Canada are likely to play the same XI that lost to South Africa and UAE.
Canada (probable): Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel
[Cricinfo]
Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana left the field four balls into his first over, after collapsing to the ground clutching his left calf, and did not return to the field during Sri Lanka’s bowling innings against Australia. Having briefly received treatment from the Sri Lanka physiotherapist immediately after sustaining the injury, Pathirana hobbled off the field with assistance from support staff.
He then spent the majority of the innings being treated in the dressing room. Sri Lanka will likely send him off for scans as soon as the match finishes.
“Matheesha Pathirana experienced discomfort in his left leg calf while bowling during the match and was unable to continue,” a statement read. “He will not bowl further in this game. A scan will be conducted tomorrow to determine the extent of the injury.”
Pathirana had begun well against Australia, bowling two dot balls and giving away three runs (including a wide) in those first four deliveries. The last two balls of the over were delivered by Dasun Shanaka, who gave away a four and bowled a dot.
Pathirana is the quickest bowler in Sri Lanka’s attack, and a key part of their death-bowling plans for the tournament in particular. He is also the second Sri Lanka bowler to come under an injury cloud, with Wanindu Hasaranga already having been ruled out of the World Cup with a hamstring injury of his own.
After this game against Australa, Sri Lanka have another group match to play, against Zimbabwe. They have not earned qualification for the Super Eights yet.
(Cricinfo)
Nissanka ton stuns Australia, puts Sri Lanka in Super Eights
New Zealand eye Super Eight spot against Canada
Pathirana under injury cloud as he leaves the field early
Raza: Win over Australia ‘will count for nothing if we slip up now’
Kusal Perera in as Sri Lanka bowl; Marsh returns for Australia
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