Aaron Finch looking forward to ENG vs AUS match: The Australian captain hopes for an entertaining high-profile clash in Dubai.
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Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch lauded spinner Adam Zampa and fast bowler Mitchell Starc for bringing their team back to the contest after Sri Lankan batters appeared to run away with an advantage.
Last to be introduced into the attack by Finch, Zampa was the pick of their bowlers with bowling figures of 4-0-12-2 dismissing the likes of Charith Asalanka (35) and Avishka Fernando (4) in successive overs.
Starc, who also picked a couple of wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium tonight, had bowled a pinpoint yorker to Kusal Perera (35) after getting hit for a six. Much like Zampa, Starc also picked wickets in consecutive overs sending back all-rounder Wanidu Hasaranga (4) to the pavilion in the 13th over as Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 16 runs in the middle overs.
“That was a really good performance. Sri Lanka got away to a flyer with the bat and the way that Adam Zampa in particular was able to drag that back through the middle, and then Mitchell Starc to have a real impact and bowl them two overs back-to-back through the middle phase where generally we would go with two at the death, he was fantastic,” Finch said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
Aaron Finch looking forward to England vs Australia World Cup match
Zampa, 29, who won a T20I ‘Man of the Match‘ award after three years, received backing from Finch as far as the competition with respect to match award alongside opening batter David Warner (65) is concerned.
“Davey [David Warner] played a beautiful knock. As a batter, I love batters getting [Player of the Match awards] but I think when you’re looking at the impact on a game, Zamps [Adam Zampa] was terrific tonight.
“On the back of a really good Powerplay from Sri Lanka, the way that he controlled the game, especially from that bottom end where the right-handers had a short boundary to hit to, he was fantastic. He got big wickets. That was a world-class performance from him,” Finch further said.
In Group 1 of Round 2, England and Australia are at the top of the points table currently. The arch-rivals will now be locking horns against each other in a high-profile encounter at the same venue on Saturday. Being asked about playing against England in a T20 World Cup after as many as 11 years, Finch hoped for a “great entertaining battle”.
“It’s always a great battle [against England]. We’re looking forward to it. They’ve probably been the form side in white-ball cricket for a long time. We love playing them and it’ll be an entertaining game,” Finch concluded.
