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Steve Smith and Dunith Wellage Photograph: (X)
Sri Lankan bowlers left Australian batters in huge trouble during the first ODI match being played in Colombo. Chasing 215 to win, skipper Steve Smith saw his side being reduced to 85 for six in the 19th over. This will be a huge blow for the defending ODI World Cup winners ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025 tournament.
Dunith Wellage was brought into the attack by Charith Asalanka to bowl the tenth over. In the very first ball of his spell, the left-arm spinner induced a wild slog sweep by Steve Smith. The 35-year-old was bowled after playing an ungainly shot that ended his inning on 12 runs. Smith played 17 balls and hit three fours during his knock as the visitors lost their fourth wicket.
BOWLED 😮
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 12, 2025
Wellalage picks Smith up with his very first delivery #SLvAUSpic.twitter.com/RxMKXyLy7n
Earlier, Sri Lanka batted first and were bowled out for 214 runs in 46 overs. Skipper Charith Asalanka led the batting charts with his career-best knock of 127 runs. His innings came at a time when his side were down in the dumps at 135 for 8 inside 33 overs. Asalanka played 126 balls with 14 fours and five maximum hits in his knock.
Australian batting left in tatters by Sri Lanka
Seam bowler Asitha Fernando began the carnage with two early wickets in the space of the first three overs. Matthew Short was out LBW for a second ball duck to Fernando. The bowler delivered a full delivery, which struck the batter on the pads. Fernando was so sure of the wicket that he didn’t even look back at the umpire while appealing.
Jake Fraser-McGurk was out for two runs when he gave Fernando an easy return catch. Cooper Connolly was sent into bat at number three but the youngster couldn’t do much with the bat. Maheesh Theekshana trapped Connolly LBW in the third ball of the sixth over.
Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey stemmed the fall of wickets with a stand of 52 for the fifth wicket. That stand came in 50 balls as both batters put the pressure back on the Sri Lankan bowlers. Theekshana got his second wicket when he got rid of Labuschagne LBW for 15 runs. Skipper Asalanka then got the big scalp of Carey for 41 caught by Pathum Nissanka that left the visitors in deep trouble.