Picture Credit: Disney+ Hotstar
Australian bowler Mitchell Starc is one of the deadly pacers that no batter would love to face. Delivering a ball over 140 kmph that too with a left arm, Starc is, for sure, a nightmare even for the best of batters at the international level and on Thursday he just validated the fact again with his sensational bowling against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Australia skipper Aaron Finch won the toss against Sri Lanka and opted to bowl first in the 2021 T20 World Cup match between the sides on Thursday. Pathum Nissanka (7) fell early as he became the victim of Pat Cummins. Opener Kusal Perera was then joined by Charith Asalanka who played some quality shots before losing his wicket on individual 35 off 27. The fall of the wicket saw Avishka Fernando coming to the crease.
Perera, who too was striking the ball beautifully from one end, decided to play the anchor role, however, the bowler he looked to take on was definitely the wrong choice. Starc came to bowl the 11th over for Australia and Perera smashed him for a sensational six at long-on after getting the strike on the second ball of the innings. Irked by the hit, Starc bowled a toe-crushing yorker to Perera next and the latter had no answer to it. The ball had enough pace to go through Perera's defence and rattle the stumps.
Watch the video here:
Sri Lanka post 154/6 against Australia
Impressive batting performance from Charith Asalanka (35 off 27), Kusal Perera (35 off 25) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (33* off 26) helped Sri Lanka post a competitive total of 154/6 in 20 overs. All the other Lankan batters failed to get going as Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa scalped 2 wickets each. Rajapaksa and Chamika Karunaratne (9*) provided the late impetus to the Lankan innings with cameos in the death overs.
