SL vs AUS in pictures, World Cup 2019: Finch, Starc shine as Australia defeat Sri Lanka by 87 runs- as it happened
Aaron Finch scored 153 while Mitchell Starc took 4 wickets as Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
Sri Lanka vs Australia, World Cup 2019: Skipper Aaron Finch scored a majestic century as defending champions Australia inched closer to the semifinal berth with a crushing 87-run win over Sri Lanka in their World Cup on Saturday.
Finch forged two crucial partnerships -- 80 with his opening partner David Warner (26) and 173 with Steve Smith (73 off 59) for the third wicket -- in his 132-ball 153 knock. It was his 14th ODI hundred which was laced with 15 fours and five sixes, two of them gigantic. Glenn Maxwell then provided the late charge with an unbeaten 25-ball 46 as Australia posted a challenging 334 for 7.
Chasing the total, Sri Lanka were 115 for no loss at one stage but they squandered the superb start to be eventually dismissed for 247 in 45.5 overs. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (97) was the top-scorer for Sri Lanka, while his opening partner Kusal Perera (52) also scored a fifty. Mitchell Starc took four wickets, while Kane Richardson claimed three and Pat Cummins scalped two.
Sri Lanka vs Australia: Scorecard
Sri Lanka: 247 in 45.5 overs
Australia: 334/7 in 50 overs
This is Australia's fourth win in five matches, having beaten Afghanistan, the West Indies and Pakistan while losing to India in the 10-team tournament. Sri Lanka, who came into the match with one win from four games after their previous two matches were washed out, are however running out of time after suffering their second defeat.
Here's how it all happened: