In a thrilling encounter at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, the five-time champions Australia managed to secure their first win after suffering two consecutive defeats. They successfully chased down 210 runs against Sri Lanka in Match Number 14, which took place in Lucknow. The star of the match was Adam Zampa, who claimed four crucial wickets for Australia.
Sri Lanka, batting first, got off to a steady start, with openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera forming a formidable partnership of 125 runs. However, their momentum was disrupted when Pat Cummins dismissed both openers, providing the much-needed breakthrough for Australia. Zampa, Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Glenn Maxwell contributed significantly by picking up crucial wickets. The Sri Lankan team collapsed, losing their next eight wickets for just 52 runs.
In contrast, Australia’s innings began on a shaky note as they lost their key players, David Warner and Steve Smith, within the first five overs, both falling victim to Dilshan Madushanka. Although Mitchell Marsh played a quick half-century, the team was still under 100 runs when he departed. However, the pair of Josh Inglis and Marnus Labuschagne took charge of the innings. Glenn Maxwell, along with Inglis and Marcus Stoinis, played crucial roles in guiding Australia to a five-wicket victory.
Josh Inglis, who had a disappointing performance against South Africa with just five runs, played a match-winning inning in Lucknow. He came in to bat after Australia lost their third wicket in the form of Marsh. Inglis displayed remarkable composure, scoring 58 runs, including five boundaries and one six, off 59 balls.
On the other hand, Mitchell Marsh showcased his class with a 52-run innings, hitting nine boundaries in just 51 balls. This was Marsh’s 18th ODI half-century and his second in the ODI World Cup.
Pathum Nissanka, who made his ODI debut in March 2021, reached a significant milestone by crossing 1,500 runs in ODIs. He now boasts 1,508 runs in 43 ODI matches, with an impressive average of 37.70, including 11 fifties and three centuries.
Australia’s leg-spinner Adam Zampa played a pivotal role in the match by dismissing Kusal Mendis and Sadira Samarawickrama in consecutive overs. Zampa completed his four-wicket haul by taking the scalps of Karunaratne and Mahesh Theekshana, conceding only 47 runs in eight overs, including one maiden over. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins also contributed with two wickets each.
In a revealing interview on the DAFA NEWS cricket show, Tasmeen Granger, Zimbabwe’s national player and coach, shared some intriguing statistics. She highlighted Glenn Maxwell’s crucial innings, where he scored an unbeaten 31 runs in just 21 balls, sealing Australia’s first win in the current tournament. Maxwell’s performance also earned him a notable record as the batsman with the most sixes in India by a visiting player in all formats. With two sixes against Sri Lanka, Maxwell surpassed the previous record held by former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard. Maxwell now boasts 51 sixes in India, while Pollard has hit 49 sixes. Notably, David Warner is the closest active player with 107 sixes, following Maxwell’s impressive tally.
Furthermore, Maxwell has climbed to the fourth position in the list of Australian ODI players with the most sixes, surpassing former captain Aaron Finch (129). The only Australian batsman to have hit more than 150 sixes in ODI cricket is Ricky Ponting (158). Other notable Australians in this category include Adam Gilchrist (148) and Shane Watson (131). Maxwell’s exceptional hitting abilities have solidified his place among Australia’s most formidable power-hitters in ODI cricket.