Australia Defeats Sri Lanka in T20 Opener

In the opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup 2024, defending champions Australia secured a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, despite an early scare where they fell to 35/3 while chasing a modest target of 94 runs. Beth Mooney's unbeaten 43 guided Australia to a total of 94/4 in just 14.2 overs, overcoming Sri Lanka's struggles, who managed only 93 runs for 7 wickets. Megan Schutt was instrumental with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 12 runs, equaling a T20 World Cup record. Sri Lanka's batting woes continued as they faced their second consecutive defeat in the tournament, further jeopardizing their chances for advancement. Australia's win places them second in the group standings, while Sri Lanka faces a must-win situation in their upcoming matches to keep their semifinal hopes alive. The match highlighted Australia's depth and resilience despite some uncharacteristic fielding errors.