SL vs AUS 2022 | 1st T20I : Hazlewood, Warner and Finch's pinpoint performance drive Australia home

Reigning T20 World champions Australia got off to a perfect start to their tour of Sri Lanka as they beat the home side comprehensively by ten wickets in a rain-affected 1st T20I in Colombo to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Having opted to bowl first, Australia rode on a sensational spell of bowling from pace-spearhead Josh Hazlewood- 4/16 in four overs- to restrict Sri Lanka to 128 all-out in the designated twenty overs of the first innings.

Sri Lanka got off to a flying start as Danushka Gunathilaka (26 off 15 deliveries), and Pathum Nissanka (36 off 31 deliveries) took the attack to the Aussie bowlers.

Gunathilaka smashed three fours and a six before mistiming an attempted drive off Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh at cover-point.

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka still managed to end the powerplay with 50 runs in the bank. 

Nissanka, albeit lucky as Steve Smith dropped him at deep mid-wicket in the 10th over, battled beautifully, and he got excellent support from Charith Asalanka, who hammered three fours and a six during his 34-ball 38.

The duo went on to add 61 runs in just over seven overs to take Lanka's total to 100/1.

But, the dismissal of Nissanka at the hands of Mitchell Starc proved to be a turning point in the game as the home side proceeded to lose their last eight wickets for 28 runs.

Hazlewood was the main wrecker-in-chief as the tall pacer dismissed Kusal Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dasun Shanaka within a space of 4 deliveries to leave Lanka gasping for breath. 

The champion pacer finished with unreal figures of 4/16 in 4 overs, underlining his status as the No.3 ranked T20I bowler in the world.

If that was not enough, Asalanka and Chamika Karunaratne ran themselves out on either side of a short rain break before Starc (3-26 in 4) polished off the tail to close the innings.

The target of 129 was never going to trouble a power-packed Australian batting unit unless Sri Lanka picked early wickets.

They nearly dismissed Aaron Finch when he played across the line to a delivery from Maheesh Theekshana that spun into him. Umpire Dharmasena was quick to raise his finger but Finch, knowing that he had hit it with his bat, challenged the call immediately and eventually survived.

This was the only opportunity that Lanka got as Finch and Warner proceeded to thump their bowlers to all corners of the stadium.

The duo racked up 59 unbeaten runs in the powerplay, with Warner scoring 35 of them in just 24 deliveries.

Warner went on to rack up yet another 50+ score- his 5th in a row against Sri Lanka- in T20 cricket off just 32 deliveries when he pulled a short delivery from Chamika for a four over short fine-leg.

The duo brought up the century stand in the 12th over before rain once again intervened to stop play.

After a short delay, the proceedings got underway, but Warner and Finch, who notched up his half-century in 37 deliveries, ensured that it didn't take long to overhaul the total.

Fittingly, skipper Finch hit the winning runs with a six off Chameera over third-man to seal a 10-wicket win.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka 128 all-out (19.3 overs)

Charith Asalanka 38 (34)

Pathum Nissanka 36 (31)

Josh Hazlewood 4/16 (4)

Mitchell Starc 3/26 (4)

Australia 134/0 (14 overs)

David Warner 70* (44)

Aaron Finch 61* (40)

Match Result: Australia won by ten wickets and lead the series 1-0