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World Cup 2019: Aaron Finch, Mitchell Starc shine as Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs

Aaron Finch struck a blistering knock of 153 runs before Mitchell Starc claimed a four-wicket haul as Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs in the 20th match of the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup at The Oval in London on Saturday. The victory saw Australia climb up to the top spot in the points table. 

Here are the highlights:

# Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs! Sri Lanka 247 (45.5 overs)

# Sri Lanka 246/9 (45 overs)

# Good last over from Pat Cummins, conceding just a single to de Silva on the fourth delivery of the 44th over. Sri Lanka 240/9 (44 overs)

# Just one run off the last over. Sri Lanka now need 97 runs from 42 balls. Sri Lanka 238/9 (43 overs) 

# WICKET! Lasith Malinga (1) was caught by Usman Khawaja at the cover on the fourth delivery of the 42nd over. Sri Lanka 237/9 (42 overs)

# Sri Lanka 237/8 (41 overs)

#  WICKET! Udana only managed to slice the last delivery of the 40th over high in the air as Finch ran back from mid-off to take an excellent catch. Sri Lanka 236/8 (40 overs) 

# Isuru Udana is the new batsman in!

# WICKET! Another wicket for Starc. Kusal Mendis (30) was caught by Alex Carey on the first delivery of the 39th over. Sri Lanka 229/7 (39 overs)

# Dhananjaya de Silva is the new batsman in!

# WICKET! Siriwardana (three) was clean bowled by Starc on the second delivery of the 37th over before Thisara Perera (7) was caught by Warner at mid-on. Sri Lanka now need 118 runs from 13 overs. Sri Lanka 217/6 (37 overs)

# Milinda Siriwardana is the new batsman in!

# WICKET! Angelo Mathews (9) was caught behind the wicket by Alex Carey on the fourth delivery of the 36th over from Pat Cummins. Sri Lanka 208/4 (36 overs)

# An expensive over from Mitchell Starc as he gave away another 11 runs. Sri Lanka now need 131 runs from 15 overs. Sri Lanka 204/3 (35 overs)

# Sri Lanka 193/3  (34 overs)

# Angelo Mathews is the new batsman in!

# WICKET! Richardson has bagged a big wicket for Australia by removing Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (97). Karunaratne fell just three runs short of a century after being caught by Glenn Maxwell at gully on the first delivery of the 33rd over. Sri Lanka 186/3 (32.1 overs) 

# A good tight over from Kane Richardson as he conceded just two runs to Sri Lanka. Karunaratne (96) eased the second delivery into a drive through extra cover for a single, while Mendis also notched up one run after hit the last ball in the air but it fell well short of fine leg. Sri Lanka 178/2 (31 overs)

# Just three runs off the last over from Maxwell. Sri Lanka now need 159 runs from 20 overs. Sri Lanka 176/2 (30 overs)

# Sri Lanka 173/2 (29 overs)

# Behrendorff came to bowl the last over and he conceded five runs to the Sri Lankan batsman. Australia desperately need quick wickets now if they want to avoid a defeat. Sri Lanka 168/2 (28 overs)

 # Karunaratne continues to stand strong at the crease at 85 and is looking for good support from Mendis (6). Sri Lanka now need 172 runs required from 23 overs. Sri Lanka  163/2 (27 overs)

# Just three runs off the last over. The Dimuth Karunaratne-led side now need 176 runs required from 24 overs. Sri Lanka 159/2 (26 overs)

 # Sri Lanka 156/2 (25 overs)

# Kusal Mendis is the new batsman! 

# WICKET! Thirimanne (16) was caught behind the wicket by Alex Carey on the fifth delivery of the 24th over. Sri Lanka 154/2 (24 overs)

# Karunaratne (81) continues to pile runs while Thirmanne (10) has settled at the crease. Sri Lanka are slowly and steadily moving towards the win. Sri Lanka 145/1 (23 overs)

# Just two runs off the last over from Behrendorff. Sri Lanka now need 194 runs from 28 overs while Australia need to take a quick few wickets in order to turn the tables for themselves. Sri Lanka 141/1 (22 overs)

# Sri Lanka 139/1 (21 overs)

# Karunaratne (76) and Thirmanne (5) are currently batting at the crease as Sri Lanka now need 200 runs from 30 overs. Sri Lanka 135/1 (20 overs)

# Sri Lanka have added another eight runs in the last over. Karunaratne pushed an arm ball through wide off and placed it perfectly between the two men behind point for four runs. Sri Lanka 131/1 (19 overs)

# Just one run off the last over. Karunaratne continues to stand strong at the crease at 67 while Thirmanne is currently batting at 2. Sri Lanka 123/1 (18 overs)

# Sri Lanka 122/1 (17 overs) 

# Lahiru Thirimanne is the new batsman in!

# WICKET! Mitchell Starc gave the much-needed breakthrough to Australia. Soon after bringing up his half-century, Perera was clean bowled by Starc on the third delivery of the 16th over. Sri Lanka 120/1 (16 overs)

# FIFTY! After Karunaratne brought up a half-century, Kusal Perera too completed his fifty off just 33 balls. He achieved the feat with a single off the last delivery from Starc. Sri Lanka 106/0 (14 overs)

# Karunaratne (52) and Perera (48) have guided Sri Lanka past the 100-run mark. Sri Lanka now need 233 runs in 37 overs, while Australia are yet to make the breakthrough. Sri Lanka 102/0 (13 overs)

# FIFTY! Dimuth Karunaratne has brought up a half-century off just 43 balls. He reached the mark with four runs by guiding the fourth delivery over midwicket. Sri Lanka 98/0 (12 overs)

# Glenn Maxwell came into the attack and he gave just four runs. Sri Lanka now need 244 runs from 39 overs. Sri Lanka 91/0 (11 overs)

# Sri Lanka 87/0 (10 overs)

# Another expensive over Behrendorff as he conceded 18 runs to the Sri Lankan openers, including five runs to Perera (35). The Sri Lankan opener clobbered a length ball on the first delivery over the extra cover for a maximum before he smashed the last delivery past short fine leg for four runs. Sri Lanka 79/0 (9 overs)

# Kane Richardson came to bowl the last over and he conceded another eight runs to Sri Lanka, including a boundary to Karunaratne (42).  While Sri Lanka have reduced their chase to 274 runs from 42 overs, Australia are desperately looking for a wicket now. Sri Lanka 61/0 (8 overs)

# After a tight over, Behrendorff conceded 13 runs to the Sri Lankan openers. The Australian bowler was smashed by Karunaratne (37) for two back-to-back boundaries on the fourth and the fifth deliveries as Sri Lanka cross the 50-run mark. Sri Lanka 53/0 (7 overs)

# Sri Lanka 40/0 (6 overs)

# Jason Behrendorff was introduced into the attack and he bowled a good tight over, giving away just a single to Karunaratne. Sri Lanka 31/0 (5 overs)

# Just four runs off the last over. Karunaratne and Perera are currently batting at their respective scores of 15 and 14 as Sri Lanka need 305 runs off just 46 overs. Sri Lanka 30/0 (4 overs)

# Sri Lanka 26/0 (3 overs)

# Pat Cummins came to bowl the second over and he too gave away 12 runs to Sri Lanka, including two boundaries. Perera blasted the third delivery in front of square to notch up four runs before he pulled the last delivery into the gap between midwicket and square leg. Sri Lanka 24/0 (2 overs)

# Starc bowled a quite expensive over, conceding 12 runs to Sri Lanka. Perera got off the mark with a scorching drive between the cover and point to notch up four runs, while Karunaratne too opened his account with a boundary by spanking the last delivery wide of point for four runs.Sri Lanka 12/0 (1 over)

# Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera have walked down the crease to begin Sri Lanka’s chase. Mitchell Starc to open the proceedings for Australia.

# Innings Break!

# Australia set 335-run target for Sri Lanka. Australia 334/7 (50 overs)

# Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell are currently batting at the crease. 

# WICKET! Alex Carrey (4) and Pat Cummins (0) were run out by Isuru Udana on the first and third deliveries of the 49th over. Australia 322/7 (49 overs)

# Alex Carey is the new batsman in!

# WICKET! Shaun Marsh (three) was caught by Siriwardana at deep midwicket on the last delivery of the 47th over from Udana.Australia 310/5 (47 overs)

# Australia 306/4 (46 overs)

# Nuwan Pradeep bowled a quite expensive over, conceding 22 runs to Australia. The Sri Lankan bowler was smashed by Maxwell for four boundaries and a six. Australia have now crossed a 300-run mark. Australia 302/4 (45 overs)

# Shaun Marsh is the new batsman in!

# WICKET! Smith was clean bowled by Malinga on the third delivery of the 44th over. The Australian batsman departed for 73. Australia 280/4 (44 overs)

# Glenn Maxwell is the new batsman in! 

# WICKET! Finch was caught by Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne at the cover on the fourth delivery of the 43rd over. With this, Finch’s incredible innings of 153 runs comes to an end. Australia 275/3 (43 overs)

# Australia 269/2 (42 overs)

# Nuwan Pradeep was smashed by Steve Smith (62) for two back-to-back boundaries before Finch (146) notched up two boundaries on the fourth and the fifth ball. Australia 255/2 (41 overs)

# A quite expensive over from Thisara Perera as he conceded 13 runs to the Australian batsmen.Finch launched the second delivery over deep square for a maximum before he cut the very next delivery in the air just past backward point for four runs. Australia 237/2 (40 overs)

# Six runs off the last over. Steve Smith brought up a half-century off just 46 balls.  He reached the mark by scoring a single off the third delivery of the 39th over. Australia 224/2 (39 overs)

# Australia 218/2 (38 overs)

# Finch (116) continues to pile runs while Smith (47) is nearing his ODI half-century as the defending champions cross the 200-run mark. Australia 210/2 (37 overs)

# Australia added another eight runs off the last over. Smith edged the third delivery of the 36th over fine of third man for four runs. Australia 203/2 (36 overs)

# Five runs off the last over. Finch is currently batting at 109 while Smith has also settled at the middle and is batting at 39. Australia 195/2 (35 overs)

# Australia 190/2 (34 overs)

# CENTURY!! Australian skipper Aaron Finch has brought up his 14th ODI ton off just 97 balls. He reached the mark by notching up six runs off the second delivery of the 33rd over. Australia 185/2 (33 overs)

# Finch (95) is just five runs short of a half-century while Steve Smith is batting at 35. Australia 176/2 (32 overs)

# Nine runs off the last over from Milinda Siriwardana, including a boundary. The Sri Lankan bowler delivered a long hop sliding down and Smith guided it along behind square for four runs. Australia 168/2 (31 overs)

# Australia 159/2 (30 overs)

# A quite expensive over from de Silva as he conceded 20 runs. De Silva was smashed by Finch on the first delivery of the 29th over before the Australian skipper pulled back two back-to-back sixes on the second and the third delivery. Australia 152/2 (29 overs)

# Eight runs off the last over, including a boundary. Isuru Udana smeared this squared drive on the last ball behind point for four runs. Australia 132/2 (28 overs)

# Australia 124/2 (27 overs)

# Udana returned into the attack and he gave away nine runs, including a boundary. Smith  wrists this imperiously to pick the gap at deep midwicket

# A good over from de Silva as he conceded just two runs to the Australians. Finch continues to bat strongly at 67 while Smith is currently batting at two. Australia 110/2 (25 overs)

# Eight runs off the last over.  Finch hammered the last delivery of the 24th behind square to notch up six runs. Australia 108/2 (24 overs)

# Steve Smith is the new batsman in!

# WICKET! Khawaja looked to sweep the sixth delivery of the 23rd over from de Silva but ended up handing an easy catch to Isuru Udana at deep midwicket. Australia 100/2 (23 overs)

# Australia 97/1 (22 overs)

# Aaron Finch (55) continues to stand strong at the crease and is looking for good support from Khawaja (9) at the other hand. Australia are nearing 100-run mark with 29 overs remaining. Australia 95/1 (21 overs)

# Six runs off the last over from Nuwan Pradeep. Khawaja got a thick outside edge on the second delivery of the 20th over and the ball raced past the vacant third slip to the third man boundary. Australia  93/1 (20 overs)

# Australia 87/1 (19 overs)

# FIFTY! Aaron Finch has brought up a half-century off just 53 balls. He reached the feat by guiding the first delivery of the over down to square third man for a single. Australia  83/1 (18 overs)

# Usman Khawaja is the new batsman in! 

# WICKET!  De Silva gave the much-awaited breakthrough to Sri Lanka by bowling out Warner, who was looking in fine touch, on the fourth delivery of the 17th over. The Australian opener went back to pavilion after scoring 26. Australia 80/0 (16.4 overs)

# Dhananjaya de Silva was introduced into the attack and he bowled a good tight over, giving away just three runs to the Australian openers. Australia 76/0 (15 overs)

# Australia 73/0 (14 overs) 

# Isuru Udana bowled the last over and he conceded six runs to the Australian openers. Finch (42) is approaching his half-century, while Warner is comfortably batting at 22. Australia 69/0 (13 overs)

# Six runs off the last over. Warner (21) and Finch (37) continue to pile runs on the scoreboard, while the Sri Lankan team is still in search for a breakthrough. Australia 63/0 (12 overs)

# Australia 57/0 (11 overs)

# Runs are flowing in at a good pace for Australia as they added another nine runs in the last over. Warner (17) and Finch (34) continue to stand strong at the crease and they have guided the defending champions past 50-run mark. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are desperately looking for a wicket. Australia 53/0 (10 overs)

# Thisara Perera comes into the attack!

# Australia 44/0 (9 overs)

# Pradeep came to bowl the last over and he conceded 10 runs in it, including a boundary to Warner (15). The Australian sliced a square drive through point on the first delivery to notch up four runs. Australia 43/0 (8 overs)

# 10 runs off the last over, including two boundaries from Finch. The Australian opener punched the second delivery down the ground for four runs before he drove the fourth delivery powerfully to mid off for another boundary. Australia 33/0 (7 overs)

# Finch (15) and Warner (eight) have added another three runs off the last over. Australia 23/0 (6 overs)

# Good over from Malinga as he gave away just three runs to Sri Lanka. Finch flicked the first delivery neatly down to fine leg for a single before Warner drove the very next delivery back past the bowler, straight of mid-off for two runs. Australia 20/0 (5 overs)

# Australia 17/0 (4 overs)

# A maiden over from Malinga. Warner and Finch are currently batting at four and eight, respectively. Australia 12/0 (3 overs)

# An expensive over from Pradeep as he conceded eight runs to Australia. Finch opened his account with a magnificent drive past mid-off for four runs on the first delivery of the second over before he pulled back another boundary on the fifth delivery. Australia 12/0 (2 overs)

# Nuwan Pradeep to share the new ball!

# Four runs off the first over. Warner got off the mark by clipping the third delivery from Malinga beautifully wide of mid on to notch up four runs. Australia 4/0 (1 overs) 

# David Warner and Aaron Finch to open the innings for Australia. Lasith Malinga begins the proceedings for Sri Lanka. 

# The two sides have walked down the crease for the national anthems. 

# Lineups:

Australia Playing XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Steven Smith, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Jason Behrendorff

Sri Lanka Playing XI: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Perera(w), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep

# Sri Lanka win toss, opt to bowl first against Australia!

#The toss will take place anytime.

Defending champions Australia will look to continue their dominance when they square off with Sri Lanka in the 20th match of the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup at The Oval in London on Saturday.

Australia are heading into the clash with three wins from four matches they have played so far. The Aaron Finch-led side’s only defeat in the ongoing edition of the mega event came when they slumped to a 36-run defeat at the hands of India in their third clash.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have just one win from four matches they have played so far. Their last two clashes against Pakistan and Bangladesh were abandoned due to incessant rain.

However, a point each from those washouts and a victory against Afghanistan, have left Sri Lanka in the top half of the standings.

Australia are standing at the third spot in the points table with six points.

As far as weather is concerned, the Kennington oval is expected to receive patchy rain as the day progresses.

The two squads are as follows:

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wkt), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Kane Richardson.

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Dhananjaya de Silva, Nuwan Pradeep, Avishka Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Jeevan Mendis, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay.

Source: Zee News