Sports
Cummins hat-trick headlines Australia’s easy win
A hat-trick from Pat Cummins and a breezy, unbeaten fifty from David Warner helped Australia make a winning start to Super 8 as they made light work of Bangladesh in a rain-hit encounter at North Sound. Bangladesh huffed and puffed their way to 140/8 before Australia raced towards it with ease. The game didn’t witness a proper conclusion as a result of rain but Australia had enough in the tank by then to get the two points by DLS method.
The intent in the powerplay made the difference. Bangladesh struggled, at least for the first half of their powerplay, scoring only 8 runs before eventually dragging that score to 39. However, Australia effortlessly managed to set up the chase with their belligerent hitting, taking full toll of the fielding restrictions to knock off 59 runs without losing a wicket.
It took Mitchell Starc just three deliveries to strike as Tanzim Hasan inside-edged one onto his stumps. Josh Hazlewood followed it up with a maiden over as Bangladesh made just 8 in the opening three overs. Desperate to get out of this rut, Najmul Shanto stepped down the track against Hazlewood to hammer him for a six before Litton Das hit a couple of boundaries off Starc. Bangladesh managed 31 off the last three powerplay overs but there was still a lot of work to be done.
While Shanto attempted to show some intent again immediately after the end of the powerplay with boundaries off Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis, Australia regained control. Litton missed a sweep against Zampa and got bowled whereas Glenn Maxwell struck in his very first over, getting rid of Rishad Hossain. The spinners tied down Bangladesh in the middle phase, not allowing the batters to break free. The pressure resulted in the key wicket of Shanto as well.
Bangladesh definitely needed at least 60 runs from their final five overs in order to pose a challenge for Australia. They had a well-set Towhid Hridoy and the veteran Shakib Al Hasan to take charge at the death. Even though Shakib was dismissed by Stoinis, Hridoy gave his side some hope after smashing Stoinis for successive sixes. But an anti-climax was in store as Cummins came in, varied his pace to good effect and ended up picking two wickets off consecutive deliveries to peg Bangladesh back further. Taskin Ahmed managed to eke out some precious runs in the penultimate over but the onus was on Hridoy to give his side a big finish. Cummins, who was on a hat-trick having picked those two wickets off the final two deliveries of his previous over, bowled a slower one as Hridoy couldn’t time a scoop properly and ended up finding the fielder. It was only the second instance of an Australian bowler picking up a hat-trick in a T20 World Cup. The previous one was by Brett Lee in the inaugural edition against the same opposition. Hridoy’s wicket was a massive blow for the men in green as they ended up with a below par total.
Australia were always going to come hard no matter what the target was. Travis Head and David Warner hit a boundary each in the opening two overs before the latter slog swept Mahedi Hasan for a six. Taskin was taken apart for 15 in his first over and even a good over from Mustafizur Rahman was ruined with Head finishing it off with a four and a six. Warner rounded off the powerplay with a six as Australia took full control.
Two balls after the powerplay, the players were forced off the field due to rain. Australia were well ahead of the chase at that point but thankfully the rain didn’t last long. Bangladesh were given a ray of hope post resumption as Rishad struck in back-to-back overs to pick the big wickets of Head and Mitchell Marsh. However, those hopes were quashed immediately by Warner and Maxwell. The duo collected a boundary each off Mustafizur before taking on Rishad for a four and a six. Warner then whipped one past midwicket for another six to bring up his fifty and with that, the rain arrived again – this time finishing the game early for good.
Bangladesh have little time to recover as they take on India next at the same venue on Saturday. Australia will move to St. Vincent to face Afghanistan.
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
Jacks the star as England qualify for Super Eights with nervy win
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Life style2 days agoMarriot new GM Suranga
-
Features2 days agoMonks’ march, in America and Sri Lanka
-
Midweek Review6 days agoA question of national pride
-
Business20 hours agoMinistry of Brands to launch Sri Lanka’s first off-price retail destination
-
Business6 days agoAutodoc 360 relocates to reinforce commitment to premium auto care
-
Opinion5 days agoWill computers ever be intelligent?
-
Features2 days agoThe Rise of Takaichi
-
Features2 days agoWetlands of Sri Lanka: