Australia vs Sri Lanka: A Battle to Regain the Lost Glory

There is a T20 World Cup to win and Australia haven’t yet earned that honor. But this match-up will always bring back memories of the 50-over World Cup final from 25 years ago, when Arjuna Ranatunga’s team famously beat the Mark Taylor-led Australian team in the final. Sri Lanka have lost a World Cup final (2007) to Australia since then and won a T20 World Cup (2014). As the UAE hosts the 2021 edition of the tournament, this contest remains a game the islanders most look forward to.

This is the only global trophy to have eluded Australia, with their appearance in the 2010 final being their only one. They last reached the semi-finals in 2012, the year when Sri Lanka lost in the final for a second time. Fortunately for the golden generation of Lankan players, they were able to make amends in 2014 with a victory over India in the final. With both teams having started the Super-12 stage with wins, this Australia-Sri Lanka cricket match will have a big bearing on who qualifies for the semi-finals from this group. England started their tournament brilliantly, while the West Indies and South Africa are looking to bounce back from their opening-day defeats.

Super 12: Group 1 & Group 2

Group 1
Group 2

The Super 12 stage, which is the second round of the tournament, consists of 12 teams. The top 8 teams in the T20I Rankings were joined by the 4 qualifiers from Round 1. The top two from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

- England
- Australia
- South Africa
- West Indies
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh

- India
- Pakistan
- New Zealand
- Afghanistan
- Scotland
- Namibia

Australia vs Sri Lanka Head to Head Stats

Australia have dominated the rivalry in Tests and ODIs, but Sri Lanka have frequently troubled them in T20Is, winning 5 matches straight at the beginning of the 2010s. However, Australia have won their last 4 matches in the format.

Overall Stats

- Format
- Matches
- Australia Won
- Sri Lanka Won
- Draw/Tie/NR
- Test
- 31
- 19
- 4
- 8
- ODI
- 97
- 61
- 32
- 4
- T20I
- 16
- 8
- 8
- 0
- Total
- 144
- 88
- 44
- 12

Australia vs Sri Lanka in World Tournaments

- Format
- Matches
- Australia Won
- Sri Lanka Won
- Draw/Tie/NR
- 50-over World Cup
- 10
- 8
- 1
- 1
- Champions Trophy
- 2
- 0
- 2
- 0
- T20 World Cup
- 3
- 2
- 1
- 0
- Total
- 5
- 10
- 4
- 1

Australia and Sri Lanka Squads for T20 World Cup 2021

Australia Full Squad

Aaron Finch (C), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (VC), Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (WK), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Traveling reserves: Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Daniel Sams

Traveling reserves:
Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Daniel Sams

Sri Lanka Full Squad

Dasun Shanaka (C), Kusal Janith Perera (WK), Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando.

Traveling reserves: Pulina Tharanga

Traveling reserves:
Pulina Tharanga

Aaron Finch: Australia Captain

Morgan is the only link between England’s two global triumphs, the World T20 win in the Caribbean in 2010, beating Australia in the final, and the World Cup win on home soil in 2019, when the old rivals were beaten in the semi-final. Though he is from Ireland, no one has represented England in more ODIs and T20s than Morgan. If he can go one better than in 2016, it will add one more chapter to his white-ball-legend story.

Finch’s Batting Career Summary

- Format
- Matches
- Runs
- Highest Score
- Avg
- SR
- 50
- 100
- 200
- 4s
- 6s
- Test
- 5
- 278
- 62 vs Pakistan
- 27.80
- 44.98
- 2
- 0
- 0
- 30
- 1
- ODI
- 132
- 5232
- 153* vs Pakistan
- 41.85
- 88.42
- 29
- 17
- 0
- 518
- 126
- T20I
- 76
- 2473
- 172 vs Zimbabwe
- 37.46
- 150.24
- 15
- 2
- 0
- 248
- 107

Dasun Shanaka: Sri Lanka Captain

It’s a reflection of how badly Sri Lankan cricket’s fortunes have declined that they have as the captain a man with a single 5-wicket haul and no centuries after 93 international matches. Since the retirements of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene more than half a decade ago, Sri Lanka’s stock has plummeted. Captains and coaches have come and gone like bags on a conveyor belt. The decision to give the reins to Shanaka is part of a plan to build for the future, though he isn’t exactly a spring chicken at 30 years of age.

Shanaka’s Batting Career Summary

- Format
- Matches
- Runs
- Highest Score
- Avg
- SR
- 50
- 100
- 200
- 4s
- 6s
- Test
- 6
- 140
- 66* vs South Africa
- 14.00
- 50.72
- 1
- 0
- 0
- 9
- 7
- ODI
- 34
- 715
- 68 vs Pakistan
- 24.65
- 94.95
- 3
- 0
- 0
- 52
- 29
- T20I
- 53
- 633
- 54 vs Pakistan
- 16.23
- 107.65
- 2
- 0
- 0
- 41
- 31

Australia vs Sri Lanka: Top Performers & Statistics in T20Is

Top Performers with the Bat in T20Is
Top Performers with the Ball in T20Is

Australia vs Sri Lanka: Most Runs in T20Is
- - David Warner (Australia)
  - 447 runs
- - Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
  - 281 runs
- - Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
  - 252 runs
- - Aaron Finch (Australia)
  - 217 runs
Australia vs Sri Lanka: Highest Scores in T20Is
- - Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
  - 145* runs (2016)
- - Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
  - 104* runs (2011)
- - David Warner (Australia)
  - 100* runs (2019)
- - David Warner (Australia)
  - 90* runs (2013)

Australia vs Sri Lanka: Most Wickets in T20Is
- - Adam Zampa (Australia)
  - 14 wickets
- - Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
  - 12 wickets
- - Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka)
  - 10 wickets
- - James Faulkner (Australia)
  - 10 wickets
Australia vs Sri Lanka: Best Bowling Figures in T20Is
- - Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka)
  - 6/16 (2011)
- - Stuart Clark (Australia)
  - 4/20 (2007)
- - Nuwan Kulasekara (Sri Lanka)
  - 4/31 (2017)
- - John Hastings (Australia)
  - 3/14 (2011)

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FAQs: Australia vs Sri Lanka

Which team has the edge in this contest?

Though Australia have won their last 4 matches, their poor record in Asia (17 wins in 39 matches) will encourage Sri Lanka.

Which Test player was adjudged the Man of the Match when these two sides first met at the T20 World Cup in 2007?

Stuart Clark, a steady seam bowler who briefly succeeded Glenn McGrath as Australia’s tall pace spearhead, took 4 for 20 as Australia romped to a 10-wicket win in Cape Town.

Why is the T20 World Cup 2021 happening in the UAE instead of India?

The T20 World Cup was moved from India to the UAE because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The decision was made after the second wave of the pandemic hit India

Where can you watch the T20 World Cup 2021 matches?

You can watch the live telecast of all the T20 World Cup 2021 matches on the Star Sports channels on TV and on the Hotstar app on your laptop/mobile phone.

What is the significance of this rivalry in Sri Lanka’s cricket history?

Sri Lankan cricket’s finest hour came at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, when they beat Australia in the 1996 World Cup final. That triumph came just 14 years after the country played its first Test.

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