Australia complete first series white-wash in Sri Lanka since 2004

World Test Championship Final-bound Australia on Sunday (February 9) ended a 21-year wait for a Test series white-wash in Sri Lanka with a thumping 9-wicket victory over the hosts in the 2nd Test at the Galle International Stadium in Galle.

In the last fixture of the WTC 2023-25 cycle, an excellent performance from spinners Matthew Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon complemented fine centuries from Steve Smith and Alex Carey as the visitors wrapped up the match inside four days.

This victory also meant, Australia has finally managed to secure a series win in Sri Lanka after 14 years, having drawn the series on their previous visit in 2022, which followed a 0-3 loss in 2016. The whitewash is also the first for Australia in Asia since 2006.

Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka rode on half-centuries from Kusal Mendis (85 off 139 balls) and Dinesh Chandimal (74 off 163 balls) to score 257 in their first innings. Mitchell Starc (3/27), Kuhnemann (3/63), and Lyon (3/96) were among the wickets for Australia.

In response, Australia lost Travis Head (21), Marnus Labuschagne (4), and Usman Khawaja (36) early, leaving the team struggling at 91/3. However, centuries from Carey (156 off 188 balls) and Smith (131 off 254 balls) helped Australia go past 300 with a 259-run stand.

Later, a valuable knock of 31 by Beau Webster took the Aussies to 414 runs, giving them a lead of 157 runs. Prabath Jayasuriya (5/151) claimed another five-wicket haul to lead the wicket-takers colum for Sri Lanka, while fellow spinners Nishan Peiris (3/94) and Ramesh (2/81) also chipped in with wickets.

In their second innings, Sri Lanka once again lost wickets early and were reduced to 81/4. But fifties from Angelo Mathews (76 off 149 balls) and Kusal Mendis (50 off 54 balls) helped the hosts avoid another innings defeat.

Kuhnemann (4/63) and Lyon (4/84) were top wicket-getters for Australia as the spin duo combined for 14 wickets in the Test. Set a target of 75 runs to win, Australia chased it down with Usman Khawaja (27*) and Marnus Labuschagne (26*) unbeaten after Travis Head (20) fell to Jayasuriya.

Carey earned the 'Player of the Match' award for his knock of 156, while skipper Smith was awarded the 'Player of the Series' for his two centuries during the tour. Australia finished the WTC cyle with a 67.54 percentage of points. They will next be in red ball action in June, when they face South Africa in the WTC Final at Lord's in London.