T20 World Cup 2022: Australia VS Sri Lanka: Marcus Stoinis crushes SL and keeps hosts T20 World Cup campaign alive

Finch, who scored at a shockingly slow pace (31 runs off 42 balls, at a strike rate of 73.81) throughout the match, was on hand to win. But it wasn't his knock that took Australia home.

Indeed, many argue that Australia could have gotten home sooner without Finch in the middle. However, the destructive nature of Stoinis' innings didn't matter at the end as they chased down 158 with consummate ease.

And Stoinis came in at a time when Australia was in some trouble. They had lost David Warner (11), Mitchell Marsh (17) and Glenn Maxwell (23) cheaply.

Worse, Sri Lanka had applied the squeeze through the middle overs, and the asking rate had begun to climb.

And to make matters even more complicated, Finch was in the middle of his sluggish innings that would eventually see him booed by the crowd.

But once Stoinis came in, he changed the game. First, he took on Chamika Karunaratne; then, he did the same to Dasun Shanaka.

He preserved his destructive best for Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, however. Hasaranga's third and final over went for 19 runs, capping off an abysmal day for him. Theekshana, usually a more economical option, conceded 20 runs in the next.

By that point, Stoinis has brought up a 17-ball 50 – the fastest T20I half-century by any Australian. He then hit another 6 to ease the burden even more.

Afterwards, Finch was complimentary of the all-rounder and said his innings were a 'special' one that changed the game.

"It was a pretty special innings. To come out with that intent is the main thing," Finch said at the post-match presentation.

"When you walk out to bat and have that presence of the crease, that's half the battle in T20 cricket. When you have the skill that he has got, it's a good combo."

For Sri Lanka, however, it ended a pretty forgettable day. Put in to bat first, they could only score 157-6 – and it is worth noting that 20 of those runs came in the final over. Without it, they would have been worse off.

Pathum Nissanka was their top-scorer with 40, but he scored it off 45 balls. Charith Asalanka's 25-ball 38 was a good inning.

And so Sri Lanka, who started the tournament with a win, now succumbed to a defeat that leaves their semi-final hopes in tatters.

"We started really well and finished well, but we didn't get going in the middle overs. I think we could have missed 15-20 runs," said skipper Dasun Shanaka after the match, adding that his under-prepared bowling didn't help.

Australia will next take on England on Friday (October 28), whereas Sri Lanka will battle New Zealand a day later.