Australia suffered a crushing 174-run defeat against Sri Lanka in their final one-day international match before the Champions Trophy opener against England. The match took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where the hosts displayed a commanding performance, sealing a 2-0 series victory over the Australian side.
Sri Lanka set a formidable target by scoring 281-4 in 50 overs. Kusal Mendis played a pivotal role with his century, hitting 101 runs off 115 balls. Charith Asalanka contributed significantly with an unbeaten 78 from 66 deliveries. Australia's response was underwhelming, as they were bowled out for just 107 runs, marking their fifth-heaviest series defeat against any opposition and their heaviest against Sri Lanka in terms of runs.
Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage was instrumental in dismantling Australia's batting line-up. He initiated the collapse by bowling Josh Inglis for 22 and achieved impressive figures of 4-35. Wanindu Hasaranga also contributed to the downfall, catching Aaron Hardie at slip for a four-ball duck and bowling Australia captain Steve Smith lbw for 29. Glenn Maxwell fell to Wellalage, scoring only one run before being bowled.
Injuries have plagued Australia's build-up to the Champions Trophy, with several key players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh sidelined. Additionally, Mitchell Starc opted to miss the tournament, and Marcus Stoinis has retired, further impacting the team's preparations.
Despite the challenges, Steve Smith remained optimistic about the future.
"We have been outplayed but used a lot of players and got a lot out of it," remarked Smith.
"It was a fine bowling performance by Sri Lanka and not a great batting performance."
Smith acknowledged Sri Lanka's prowess while focusing on moving forward.
"We will keep moving forward. Credit to Sri Lanka."
The final-wicket partnership between Adam Zampa and Tanveer Sangha added 13 runs, allowing Australia to reach three figures. However, this was insufficient against Sri Lanka's dominant display.
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