SL vs AUS 1st ODI: Sri Lanka pulls off 49-run win over Australia ahead of Champions Trophy (original) (raw)

Australia shocked by Sri Lanka Australia's Spencer Johnson and Adam Zampa congratulate Sri Lankan team members for their win over Australia in the first ODI cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

With Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy in disarray due to the absence of a lot of big guns, the 2023 ODI World Cup winners suffered an almighty shock just a week before the 50-over extravaganza after they lost to Sri Lanka by 49 runs in the 1st ODI on Wednesday.

Batting first, Sri Lanka posted 214 with the help of captain Charith Asalanka’s 127 runs while just three other batters could get to two digits. The rest 7 could only muster single digit scores with openers Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando scoring just 4 and 1 respectively. Sean Abbott was the pick of the Australia bowlers taking 3 wickets.

Chasing the modest target, Australia’s wicketkeeper Alex Carey top scored with 41 runs while Aaron Hardie came next with 31. Matthew Short (0), Jake Fraser-McGurk (2), Cooper Connolly (3), captain Steve Smith (12) and Marnus Labuschagne (15) were all the big names who failed to create an impact. Maheesh Theekshana was the best bowler for Sri Lanka, taking 4 wickets.

Australia faced a lot of injury concerns soon after they announced the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy. And all of it has come true with their entire frontline pace pack which includes their captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood are ruled out with injuries.

And to make it worse fellow speedster Mitchell Starc has withdrawn from the tournament citing personal reasons. It is a huge blow for a team that hasn’t won a match in the last two editions of the Champions Trophy with the last win being in the final of the 2009 edition. Apart from the fast bowler, Australia are also without their all-rounder Mitchell Marsh — who is also injured and Marcus Stoinis who announced shock retirement last week.