Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka yet again managed to bail his team out of trouble by scoring a solid unbeaten (78) in the second and final ongoing ODI against Australia in Colombo. However, this time, the skipper was not alone, as giving him company was Kusal Mendis, who scored a superb (101) to propel Sri Lanka to a strong total of 281 for the loss of just four wickets.
The duo of Mendis and Asalanka put on a stand worth 94 for the fourth wicket, which helped the hosts set up a par score on the Colombo surface. Australia, who yet again managed to start well in the innings, failed to close the innings as they would have hoped for. Leg spinner Adam Zampa's inefficiency in taking regular wickets in the middle order put extreme pressure on Australia's inexperienced pacers.
Zampa could manage to pick just one wicket in the Lankan's innings and allowed Asalanka and Mendis to bat freely. Even Tanveer Sangha, Zampa's deputy in the spin department, could not pose any threat to the hosts batters. Among the pacers, Sean Abbott was impressive, giving away just (1/41) from his 10 overs. However, on a sluggish Colombo surface, Australia surely missed the accuracy of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
Australia stutters in a steep run chase of 281
Chasing is never easy in Sri Lanka, and Australia found it the hard way in the first ODI. Alas, in the second ODI, the visitors batters struggled to get off to a good start and lost seven wickets for just 80 runs. None of the experienced batters Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, and Travis Head, could have answers to Sri Lanka's trio of spinners, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and Dunith Wellalage. Ahead of the Champions Trophy, Australia have a lot of questions to be answered in the batting and bowling department.
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