Australia Begin T20 World Cup Title Defence with 6-Wicket Win Over Sri Lanka
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| Australia won by 6 wickets against Sri Lanka in the Women's T20 World Cup in Sharjah. / Getty |
Australia kicked off the defence of their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title with a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Sharjah.
Despite a slight stumble in their chase of a modest 94-run target, opener Beth Mooney's unbeaten 43 guided the six-time champions to victory with 34 balls to spare.
Sri Lanka struggled throughout their innings, managing only 93-7 in their 20 overs. Megan Schutt led Australia’s bowling attack with figures of 3-12, dismantling Sri Lanka’s top order and restricting their scoring opportunities. Nilakshi de Silva’s 29* and Harshitha Samarawickrama’s 23 were the only notable contributions, as the side labored on a sluggish pitch that made stroke play difficult.
Australia's chase was not without drama, as they fell to 35-3 early on. Captain Alyssa Healy was dismissed for four, Georgia Wareham was run out for three, and Ellyse Perry was bowled for 17.
However, Mooney, despite being dropped on 22, anchored the innings with a composed knock, ensuring Australia crossed the finish line without further hiccups.
Sri Lanka fought hard with the ball, capitalizing on uneven bounce and slow conditions to claim early wickets.
Udeshika Prabodhani’s dismissal of Healy and Kavisha Dilhari’s sharp fielding to run out Wareham briefly gave Sri Lanka hope. Yet, the Australians proved too strong, with Mooney and Ash Gardner (12) stabilizing the innings in a crucial 43-run partnership.
Australia’s win came despite some uncharacteristic mistakes in the field, including five front-foot no-balls and a dropped catch by Darcie Brown. However, the depth and quality of their squad ensured a comfortable victory as they adjusted to the challenging pitch conditions in Sharjah.
Sri Lanka, now winless in two matches, are facing the prospect of an early exit from the tournament. They will need a dominant victory over India on Wednesday and rely on other results to stay in contention for the knockout stages.
Australia will next face New Zealand in a high-stakes match on Monday, with the White Ferns coming off a commanding win over India in their tournament opener.
Score Summary:
Sri Lanka 93-7 (20 overs): De Silva 29* (40); Schutt 3-12
Australia
94-4 (14.2 overs): Mooney 43* (38), Perry 17 (15)
Australia won by 6 wickets