After winning the toss, Sri Lanka chose to bat first on a Lucknow pitch renowned for its unpredictable behavior. Australia, already burdened with two prior defeats, were eager for an early breakthrough.
Their desperation became evident when they challenged an LBW decision on the very first ball, despite clear evidence that the ball had struck the edge of the bat.
The shocking incident in the same over raised concerns about Australia’s commitment to fair play. In a peculiar turn of events, Starc had to re-bowl the fourth ball of the over due to a wide delivery.
He charged in with his typical intensity but, instead of releasing the ball, he abruptly halted as he noticed Perera stepping out of the crease. S
tarc then turned towards the Sri Lankan batsman, warning him. Surprisingly, Perera appeared unfazed and signaled to the Australian bowler to go ahead if he dared.
