/sportsinfo/media/member_avatars/image 59.png)
Follow Us/sportsinfo/media/media_files/2025/02/12/p4ZPdQKVjOFsGSUGZbEm.jpg)
Steve Smith Photograph: (X)
Australian skipper Steve Smith continued his purple patch in the field with his amazing catch during the first ODI in Sri Lanka. The 35-year-old took a spectacular one-handed catch to get the key wicket of Dunith Wellage as the Aussies continued to dominate the home team.
The incident happened in the fifth ball of the 26th over with Matthew Short bowling to Wellage. The ball turned away from the batter as Wellage got a thick edge that was flying to the slips where Smith was standing. The Australia skipper flung himself to his right and completed a great one-handed catch. Wellage was left with a stunned look on his face as he was out for 30.
Steve Smith has DONE IT AGAIN.
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 12, 2025
He takes a beauty at slip!#SLvAUSpic.twitter.com/kUpTdKOEMI
Australia were asked to field after Sri Lanka won the toss at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The Aussies are using the two-match ODI series as a warm-up for the Champions Trophy 2025 tournament. Smith was named the captain of the side, with Pat Cummins being ruled out due to injury. The latest casualty is Mitchell Starc, who pulled out of the tournament on Wednesday morning.
Charith Asalanka and Dunith Wellage stage brief comeback
Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka was left in complete disbelief after seeing his side collapse to 55/5 inside 15 overs. The left-handed batter found an able ally in Wellage as the pair added 67 runs for the sixth wicket in 68 balls.
The pair came together after Janith Liyange was caught in the slips by Smith to give Abbott his second wicket of the day. Wellage got off the mark with a six-over third-man region thanks to a free-hit after Abbott had bowled a no-ball.
In the 17th over, Wellage went after Abbott once again by hitting the pacer for two successive boundaries. Seeing his young partner up the ante, Asalanka also joined the boundary-hitting act as he smashed Abbot for the third four in the over.
Once the Australian field spread out, both batters decided to run hard between the wickets. The fifty-run stand got huge cheers from the home crowd, with the Aussie bowlers starting to look frustrated. Matthew Short though ended the stand with the key wicket of Wellage to give his team the upper hand once again.