Australia suffer crushing defeat as Sri Lanka secure 2-0 series sweep

COLOMBO: Australia received a harsh wake-up call ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy as Sri Lanka thrashed them by 174 runs in the second one-day international, completing a 2-0 series sweep on Friday.

Chasing 282 for victory, the 50-overs world champions were bowled out for just 107—their lowest ODI total in Asia—in the 25th over. This dismal performance came despite the return of key batters Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, and Josh Inglis.

Earlier, Sri Lanka set a commanding total of 281-4 after opting to bat first. Kusal Mendis led the charge with his fifth ODI century, scoring 101, while captain Charith Asalanka contributed an unbeaten 78. The hosts accelerated in the final 10 overs, adding 97 runs to their total.

Despite their dominant display, Sri Lanka will not feature in the Champions Trophy, which is reserved for the top eight ODI teams in the world.

Reflecting on the loss, Australia captain Steve Smith praised the opposition, saying, “I thought their bowlers bowled exceptionally well.”

Australia will need to regroup quickly as they head into the Champions Trophy on the back of a humbling series defeat.