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The 14th match of the ODI World Cup 2023 saw Australia take on Sri Lanka at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Monday (October 16). The five-time world champions didn’t disappoint this time as they managed to register their first in the event after back-to-batch losses against India and South Africa.
Among the many star performers for the Aussie team in their win over Sri Lanka was all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who contributed with a brilliant half-century. However, more than Marsh’s batting exploits, it was his hilarious response to former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar over a query related to his father, Geoff Marsh, that stole the limelight.
Sri Lanka’s dominant start and Australia’s strong comeback
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Sri Lanka had a challenging time at the crease and could manage a total of just 209/10 in 43.3 overs. Kusal Perera’s resilient knock of 78 runs off 82 deliveries, and Pathum Nissanka‘s 61 off 67 balls were the standout performances in Sri Lanka’s innings. However, Australia’s bowlers were on top of their game, with Adam Zampa leading the charge. Zampa claimed four crucial wickets during his spell, while Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc also made significant contributions with the ball.
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Australian batters display brilliant composure
Australia’s chase was anchored by a well-constructed innings that ultimately saw them reach the target with five wickets in hand. Marsh top-scored with 52 runs off 51 deliveries, and Josh Inglis played a crucial knock of 58 runs. Despite Dilshan Madushanka‘s three wickets for Sri Lanka, Australia’s batting depth proved to be the difference.
The hilarious interaction between Mitchell Marsh and Sunil Gavaskar
Following the conclusion of the match, Marsh had a cheeky interaction with Gavaskar on Star Sports, where the latter asked him about his unusual defensive approach with a reference to his father and dormer Aussie cricketer Geoff.
“Didn’t your father ever teach you to play like this (in defensive manner)?,” asked Gavaskar.
In response to Gavaskar’s query, Marsh came up with a hilarious take as he said: “I’m just making up for all his poor strike rates.”
It is worth mentioning that Marsh is known for his attacking style of play and bats with a strike rate of over 90 in the ODI format. On the other hand, the Aussie opener’s father, Geoff, retired from ODI cricket with a strike rate of 55.93.
