In an exciting encounter at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Australia Women comfortably defeated Sri Lanka Women by 6 wickets in Match 5 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The match was characterized by an impressive bowling display from the Australian bowlers, particularly Megan Schutt, who was named Player of the Match for her outstanding performance.

Megan Schutt shines with the ball

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka struggled to find their rhythm against a relentless Australian bowling attack. They could only manage a total of 93 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Harshitha Samarawickrama top-scored with 23 runs off 35 balls, while Nilakshi de Silva contributed a steady 29 runs off 40 balls. Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan batting lineup faltered, with many players failing to reach double figures, including their skipper, Chamari Athapaththu, who could only muster 3 runs.

Schutt was the standout bowler for Australia, claiming 3 wickets for just 11 runs in her 4 overs. Sophie Molineux also made significant contributions, taking 2 wickets for 20 runs. Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham chipped in with one wicket each, as the Sri Lankan innings fell short of a competitive total.

Australia completes an easy chase

Chasing a modest target of 94 runs, Australia began their innings with a steady approach. Beth Mooney played a crucial role in guiding the team to victory, scoring 43 runs off 38 balls, which included 4 boundaries. Despite losing early wickets, with Alyssa Healy and Georgia Wareham departing for 4 and 3 runs respectively, Australia maintained control throughout their innings.

Ellyse Perry and Gardner provided valuable contributions, scoring 17 and 12 runs, respectively, as Australia reached their target in just 14.2 overs, finishing at 94 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Udeshika Prabodhani was the pick of the bowlers for Sri Lanka, claiming 1 wicket for 19 runs, while Sugandika Kumari and Inoka Ranaweera also took one wicket each.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.