Australia women outplay Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup

PERTH: Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning revived Australia’s stuttering women’s Twenty20 World Cup title defence with a match-turning 95-run partnership in the home side’s tense five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Perth on Monday.

The four-time champions were on the brink of elimination at 10 for three chasing 123 before vice-captain Haynes made 60 and skipper Lanning managed 41 not out to rescue the home side, who lost their opener against India on Friday. "Hopefully it settles our group down," player of the match Haynes told reporters. "I hope today showed a little bit of our character." Australia’s victory inches them closer to Group A pacesetters India and New Zealand. Only the top two from each of the two five-team groups qualify for the knockout phase. But they were pushed to the limit by Sri Lanka, who are all but eliminated having lost to New Zealand on Saturday.

"Our young side played really well against the world champions," Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu said. "We lost the match but won hearts in the crowd."

World number eight Sri Lanka were restricted to 122 for six from their 20 overs after electing to bat on a green-tinged WACA pitch.

In-form Athapaththu, Sri Lanka’s best batter, was the standout with 50 but the batting fell away until Nilakshika Silva added invaluable runs in the backend. The match spectacularly flipped when left-arm quick Udeshika Prabodhani bowled opener Alyssa Healy for a duck and Ashleigh Gardner for two with pearlers. Australia crashed further after Beth Mooney was stumped for six off spinner Shashikala Siriwardene.