The fast bowler Megan Schutt equalled a record before the opener Beth Mooney produced a steadying knock as Australia opened their T20 World Cup title defence with a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka. Schutt snared three for 12 off four overs to help restrict Sri Lanka to seven for 93 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday. In reply, Australia slumped to two for 14 and three for 35 as Alyssa Healy (4), Georgia Wareham (3) and Ellyse Perry (17) departed.
But Mooney helped steady the ship with an unbeaten 43 off 38 balls, guiding Australia to victory with 34 deliveries to spare. “We were decent without being perfect,” Healy, the captain, said. “We adapted to the conditions really quickly with the ball.
To start the tournament 1-0 is a good result for us. Some confidence out of that.” After winning the toss and electing to bat, Sri Lanka slumped to two for six in the fourth over and never recovered as Australia’s star-studded attack turned the screw.
The spinner Sophie Molineux finished with two for 20 from her four overs, but it was Schutt who proved the trickiest to handle. Schutt snared the opener Vishmi Gunaratne for a duck in the third over to kickstart Australia’s dominant display. The 31-year-old claimed another two wickets in the final over, lifting her tally in T20 World Cups to 43.
That equals the mark set by South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail, who retired from international cricket last year. The temperature soared into the mid-30s .
