Women's T20 World Cup: Australia ease past Sri Lanka on tough Sharjah pitch

Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Alyssa Healy's Australia started their campaign on a stupendous note after beating Sri Lanka by six wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

In Short

• Australia beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets on Saturday
• Megan Schutt picked up 3 wickets
• Beth Mooney stayed unbeaten on 43 off 38 balls

Defending champions Australia started their campaign on a winning note in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. On Saturday (October 5), Alyssa Healy and Co. defeated Chamari Athapaththu’s Sri Lanka by six wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. With the win, the Aussies moved to second in the table with a net run rate of +1.908.

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Sri Lanka, on the other hand, kept struggling, having lost both their matches until now. After being hammered by Pakistan, they looked indifferent against Australia as well. Athapaththu’s women are in a must-win scenario for the remainder of their games to have any hopes of making it through to the semis.

Megan Schutt shines for Australia

After opting to bat first on a difficult pitch to bat on, Sri Lanka huffed and puffed their way to scoring 93 for the loss of seven wickets. After faltering against Pakistan, Athapaththu got out in single digits as Ash Gardner gave Australia the major breakthrough in the fourth over.

Harshitha Samarawickrama put her heads down to score 23 off 35 before Sophie Molineux accounted for her wicket. Nilakshika Silva stayed not out on 29 off 40, but could never put the opposition bowling attack under enough pressure.

For Australia, Megan Schutt breathed fire after she finished with figures of 4-1-12-3. Molineux, who has kept Jess Jonassen out of the Australian squad, picked up two crucial wickets. Gardner and Georgia Wareham took one wicket apiece.

Beth Mooney guides Australia

Chasing a modest target of 94, Australia lost the early wickets of Healy and Wareham. Ellyse Perry and Gardner got their eyes in before Sugandika Kumari and Inoka Ranaweera got their wickets respectively. Sri Lanka would have sensed a chance to make a comeback.

But it was Beth Mooney, who held the innings together with her composure. The left-handed batter stayed unbeaten on 43 off 38 balls, laced with four fours. On the back of her knock, Australia went past the finish line with 34 balls left in their innings.