Glenn Maxwell’s phenomenal performance recently saw the Aussies make history in Sri Lanka. Despite it being Glenn Maxwell’s first one-day international in around a year and a half, the 33-year-old certainly had no ring rust.
Maxwell helped take Australia to victory with an unbeaten 80 from 51 balls, including an impressive six sixes.
Sri Lanka had put up a commendable score with early wickets and was playing very well through the middle of the game. But, they struggled to defend their rain-adjusted 282 off 44 overs. That was until Maxwell flipped the script with 80 not out from 51 balls. The best betting sites for Australia on wetten.com were hotting up with such a comeback.
Maxwell arrived with the Aussies needing 93 off 84 with five wickets left. In an instant, it was clear that Maxwell was going to be an aggressor. This was all taking place on a surface with a lot of turn at Pallekele – something that Maxwell is no stranger to having struck 49 in a 2016 T20I hundred.
In contrast to the 2016 performance, this innings was entirely methodical and measured. Waiting for errors and using reverse sweeps, Maxwell averaged roughly a run a ball. With successive sixes off Dushmantha Chameera towards the end, Australia won the match with nine balls remaining.
Maxwell wasn’t the only MVP though, with Wanindu Hasaranga, who ended the match limping, won four wickets to spur on Sri Lanka. Dunith Wellalage, who was making a debut, also claimed two wickets. But, neither were a match for Maxwell in the end, as he hit 18 runs off 10 balls against Wellalage and 20 runs off 12 balls from Hasaranga. By this point, the match was all but won.
Earlier on into the game, Finch had hit 44 off 41 and Smith had hit 53 off 60.
TEAMS
Sri Lanka XI: Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Dhananaya De Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalahne
Australia XI: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Josh Hazlewood
Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2nd ODI
The second day of Sri Lanka vs Australia one-day international is set to take place on Thursday the 16th of June at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Coming into the fixture with a loss on the first ODI on Tuesday shouldn’t be too demotivating for the home side. Given the strong and fairly competitive performance up until Maxwell took over, they will still have something to give them confidence heading into the fixture on Thursday. The 115 runs on the first wicket was a great start for Sri Lanka, and continued to do so through the mid part of the game – something that they will be looking to replicate.
Dasun Shanaka won the toss and decided to bat first at the Pallekele. Both sides have two losses in their last five matches, with 3 wins a piece, meaning their form and momentum is very similar coming into these ODI head-offs.
In the history of Sri Lanka vs Australia ODI cricket, there have been 99 fixtures. Sri Lanka has won 33 times, whilst Australia has won 62 of them. The top picks for Thursday’s match are Kusal Mendis for Sri Lanka, who played very well in the first ODI and has a strike rate of 98.85. The second top pick is Glenn Maxwell for Australia, who scored 80 runs from 51 balls in the first match – and has a strike rate of 156.86.
Two other considerations are Danushka Gunathilaka of Sri Lanka, who went on to score 55 runs from 53 balls and gave a fantastic start for Sri Lanka. And finally, Steve Smith of Australia, who went for 53 off 60 balls with an 88.33 strike rate, with an innings of five fours.
The second part of this ODI can be watched in the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, or on TV starting from 02:30 IST / 09:00 AM GMT. Star Sports, among other streaming channels, will be showing the match.
All Sri Lanka vs Australia ODI fixtures
Whilst the 2nd ODI is the next one up, it’s by no means the last. There are five ODI matches in total, with only the first two being located in Pallekele. The final three matches are all taking place in the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This means that all the fixtures are being played at the same time (09:00 AM GMT / 02:00 PM LOCAL).
The third ODI match is being played on the 19th of June, which is a Sunday. The fourth ODI match is set to take place on the 21st of June, which is a Tuesday. And finally, the fifth and final time they face off before the test matches at the end of the month takes place on the 24th June, which is a Friday.
