At Melbourne, January 9 (day/night). Sri Lanka won by three wickets. Toss: Australia.

Acting-captain De Silva dedicated Sri Lanka's victory to the exiled spinner Muralitharan, who was not to be risked again following his disaster in Brisbane. A replacement, Kalpage, was flown out and played hours after arriving in Australia. Interest had shifted to two openers, however. The Australian, Slater, was dropped after his fifth successive low score; but for Sri Lanka, Kaluwitharana set the pattern of whirlwind starts that would represent the key to their World Cup success. Hitting through any line he could reach, he thrashed 77 off 79 balls. This left his middle order time to bat more conservatively, pacing their way to victory with 15 balls to spare. Ponting's maiden century for Australia was a gem lost beneath Kaluwitharana's avalanche; he shared a stand of 159 with Bevan, a world record for the fifth wicket in limited-overs internationals.

Man of the Match: R. S. Kaluwitharana. Attendance: 60,110.

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