Only a miracle can save Sri Lanka from ruthless Australia

The lone warrior Chamari Atapattu has shown the world that Sri Lanka have the skills to compete with the best, but converting those efforts into match-winning performances will require support from the other end, a misery that Australia take advantage of.



Despite having an average Women's Cricket Super League, Atapattu somehow managed to live up to the expectations, smashing a century in the opening T20I. The knock was not sufficient to take Sri Lanka home but it gave some hope that the visitors might roar back in the second game to level the series.



However, Australia bowlers shattered that possibility as they restricted Sri Lanka for a mere 84 for eight, which the hosts chased down inside 10 overs to seal the series with one game to go. Australia's dot ball pressure did not allow Atapattu to break the shackles and as such Sri Lanka danced the way the hosts wanted. Veteran all-rounder Shashikala Siriwardene attempted to give some direction to the innings but the lack of support resulted in an insulting defeat.



The hosts, on the other hand, continue to enjoy their winning streak. From claiming the Rose Bowl against New Zealand, retaining Ashes, to whitewashing West Indies in the latter's backyard, Australia, the reigning World T20 champions, have become the most in-form side in the world at present. All of its players be it young or experienced, have contributed to maintain Australia's aggressive image.



Coming into the series, Beth Mooney has been playing the role of a second fiddle to Alyssa Healy but in the first match she became the centre of attraction with her bold 113. The batting department has been complimenting the bowling unit and vice-versa. While the likes of Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt continue to raise the bar, young leg Georgia Wareham is no behind in matching the standards. Wareham has become skipper Meg Lanning's go to spin solution when her other spinners concede extra runs. With her brilliant fielding ability, she continues to feature in back to back matches as well.



With the visiting side heavily dependent on its senior players, only a miracle can save Sri Lanka from ruthless Australia.



Squads:



Australia: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham



Sri Lanka: Chamari Atapattu (c), Harshitha Madavi (vc), Shashikala Siriwardene, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Hansima Karunarathne, Yashoda Mendis, Nilakshi de Silva, Dilani Manodara, Oshadie Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandhika Kumari, Inoshi Fernando, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani, Ama Kanchana.