PERTH: Marcus Stoinis hit the fastest T20I fifty for Australia in just 17 balls as the defending champions crushed Sri Lanka by 7 wickets with 21 balls to spare on Tuesday to keep their T20 World Cup hopes alive after the opening defeat. 

Stoinis blasted a stunning 58 not-out off 18, smashing half-a-dozen gigantic sixes and two fours to take Australia home after they lost three wickets on 89 while chasing a respectable 158-run target.

The right-hander’s 22-minute stay on the crease took a heavy toll on Sri Lankan reliable spinning duo Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, who were thrashed for 19 and 20 runs, respectively.

Skipper Aaron Finch, on the other hand, played a sluggish knock of unbeaten 31 off 42 balls while Glenn Maxwell played a scintillating cameo of 12-ball 23 laced with two fours and two sixes before Stoinis stole the show.

Earlier, a combined effort by Sri Lanka batters against the furious pace attack helped the side to raise 157/6 in the allotted 20 overs after they were put to bat.

Charith Asalanka played a glittering knock of 38 off 25 laced with three fours and two sixes after opener Pathum Nissanka and No 3 batter Dhanajaya de Silva anchored the innings with a valiant 69-run partnership for the second wicket.

Sri Lanka went through a dismal start as opener Kusal Mendis was effectively removed by Patt Cummins in the second over. Silva (26 off 23) then joined Nissanka on the crease to move the scoreboard to 75/1 in 11.2 over before falling prey to Ashton Agar who had replaced Adam Zampa in Australia’s playing XI.

Nissanka played a very cautious knock of 45-ball 40 with only two fours to his credit before a confusion between the wickets between him and Asalanka forced him back to the pavilion in the 14th over.

Following his dismal, the next three wickets fell in quick succession as lower-order batters Bhanuka Rajapaksa (7), skipper Dasun Shanaka (3) and Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva (1) failed to impress.

No 7 batter Chamika Karunaratne, however, hit a couple of boundaries as he made a quick 14 off 7 to help Sri Lanka something to cheer at the end of the innings. 

For Australia, Cummins, Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell took a wicket each.

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