The defending champions Australia have begun their Women's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a big win over Sri Lanka on Saturday, October 5. In Alyssa Healy's World Cup captaincy debut, the Aussies chased down a paltry 94-run target in 14.2 overs with six wickets in hand at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Beth Mooney guided the run-chase as she remained unbeaten on 43 to take the team home after the Sri Lankan spinners gave some blows to the six-time champions. It wasn't a great outing for captain Healy, who was cleaned in the first over of the chase by Udeshika Prabodhani for four. Sent in to bat at No.3, Georgia Wareham could not do much, getting dismissed run-out for three. The Lankan Lions believed for an upset when they got Ellyse Perry out in the sixth over. The Aussies were at 35/3 and in a little trouble. However, any hopes of an upset were shut down by a sedate Mooney.
This was Australia's 8th straight win over Sri Lanka in T20Is. They have never lost a game in the format to the Lankan Lions. Meanwhile, the Asian champions Sri Lanka are staring down a group stage exit as this was their second loss in the tournament, having gone down to Pakistan by 31 runs a couple of days earlier.
Chamari Athapaththu's team could only get to 93 on a pitch that was slow. Their batters could not find the timing right and struggled. Captain Athapaththu made only three from 12 balls, while the other opener Vishmi Gunaratne fell for a 10-ball duck. Some resistance came from Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva and Anushka Sanjeewani but they could not find answers to Australian bowling. The Aussies read the pitch well and slowed their balls.
Megan Schutt was the pick of the bowlers. The pacer Schutt has also equalled Shabnim Ismail for the record of most wickets taken in Women's T20 World Cups. Her 3/12 in four overs saw Schutt level Ismail's tally of 43 wickets. The only Aussie bowler to struggle was Darcie Brown, who bowled three no-balls in her only over. The Aussies were disciplined in all the departments and got their first win of the tournament.
