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Australia Sink To All-Time Low In Asia Ahead of Champions Trophy
Follow UsAustralia were thrashed by Sri Lanka, losing the two-match series 0-2
Australia sunk to a new low in Asia in ODIs after they lost the second and last match of the two-game series against Sri Lanka by 174 runs on February 14 (Friday) at Colombo.
The loss, right ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Steve Smith-led side, which is already without its prime pacers in Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
The defeat by 174 runs at Colombo is also the biggest for Australia in Asian conditions. It surpassed the margin of 134 runs that South Africa achieved in the ODI World Cup 2023 in Lucknow.
Heaviest defeats for Australia in ODIs in Asia (in terms of runs)
Lost by 174 runs vs SL in Colombo, 2025
Lost by 134 runs vs SA in Lucknow, 2023
Lost by 118 runs vs IND in Indore, 2001
Lost by 99 runs vs IND in Nagpur, 2009
The biggest problem for Australia, though, is the collapse of their batting. After being rolled over for 165 in the first ODI, they were bowled out for a meager 107 in the second. This is also their lowest score in Asian conditions, beating their previous lowest score of 139, which came against India in Sharjah in 1985.
This series loss is also the first whitewash for Australia at the hands of an Asian country and in Asia.
Dunith Wellalage picked 4/35 while Kusal Mendis scored a century for the home team, which is not part of the Champions Trophy 2025. For Australia, skipper Smith top-scored with 29.