Australia wins toss, fielding first vs Sri Lanka in 1st T20

Australia won the toss and elected to field first again st Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 at R Premadasa Stadium here on Tuesday.Australia is the T20 world champion and starts the three-match series as favourite against ninth-ranked Sri Lanka.

Australia won the toss and elected to field first again st Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 at R Premadasa Stadium here on Tuesday.

Australia is the T20 world champion and starts the three-match series as favourite against ninth-ranked Sri Lanka. Nine of the Australia starting 11 were in the team which won the T20 World Cup last year. Australia won a series between them in February 4-1.

Sri Lanka's biggest draw is leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who was the second highest wicket-taker in the recent Indian Premier League. This is the first time gates have been opened for fans in white-ball cricket in Sri Lanka since 2019 because of the pandemic. The 28,000-capacity stadium is sold out. The second T20 is at the same venue on Wednesday, and the teams move to Kandy for the last game on Saturday.

Lineups: Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana and Nuwan Thushara.

Australia: Aaron Finch (Captain), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson and Josh Hazlewood. AP SSC SSC