Twitter Reactions: Josh Hazlewood shines as Australia reign supreme in rain-affected game against Sri Lanka

Josh Hazlewood starred for the hosts with the ball as he took his best-ever T20 figures of 4-12.

By Sahaj Nair

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Josh Hazlewood
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Josh Hazlewood. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)

Australia humbled Sri Lanka in the first T20 of the five-match T20I series by 20 runs (DLS). Pacer Josh Hazlewood starred for the hosts with the ball in hand as he picked his best ever T20I figures as he picked up 4 wickets for just 12 runs.

Sri Lanka performed exceptionally well bowling in the first innings reducing the Aussie batting line-up, which boasts of a lot of firepower to a below-par total of 149-9. Ben Mcdermott top-scored with 53 while debutant Josh Inglis and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis played useful cameos, scoring 23 and 30 respectively.

The Lankan lions did a particularly great job containing the scoring rate in the second half of the Australian innings, particularly when they looked threatening after they scored 75-1 in the first 10 overs.

The visitors came back strong in the second half of the Aussie innings. Chamika Karunaratne and Wanindu Hasaranga applied the choke on the batters and took wickets along the way. Left-arm-pacer Binura Fernando starred with the ball in hand for the visitors, taking 2-12 in his stipulated quota of four overs at a miserly economy rate of 3.00. Given the base that Mcdermott and Inglis had set, it seemed like Australia would reach 170 or even 180 at a point but credit to the Lankan bowlers for pulling it back.

The pitch seemed to be a bit tacky and the ball was stopping and gripping on the surface, making it difficult for the batters to get going. However, the Australian batters were also to be blamed as many of them got out in what would be termed as soft dismissals.

Sri Lanka never really got going in their batting innings

Following a rain interruption, the target for Sri Lanka was reduced to 143 from 19 over (DLS). The Sri Lankan batters never got going, and the Australian attack made complete use of the two-paced wicket at Sydney.

Youngster Pathum Nissanka top-scored with the bat for the visitors with an almost a-run-a-ball 36. Barring him, no one else really got going as the host side’s bowlers made continuous breakthroughs throughout the course of the innings to peg the visitors on the backfoot.

Josh Hazlewood starred with the ball as he took his best-ever T20 bowling figures as he picked 4-12 from his quota of 4 overs. He was ably supported by Adam Zampa who picked up three wickets.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

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