The rivalry between Sri Lanka National Cricket Team and Australia Men’s Cricket Team has turned into one of the most exciting contests in international cricket. Their battles have been historic, crushing upsets, and fierce competition, coinciding on Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Australia has usually dominated, but Sri Lanka has afforded some strength in adversity, especially at home. This rivalry has produced sniggering encounters since Sri Lanka defeated Australia to win the 1996 World Cup, and again in recent Test and ODI contests.
Cricket fans worldwide will continue to be drawn to their head-to-head record and performances ahead of both teams in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In this article we will discuss Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Australian men’s cricket team timeline and more.
Sri Lanka Cricket Early Encounters and Establishing Rivalry Against vs Australia
Speaking of early formidable opponents for Sri Lanka, they gained Test status in 1981 and already in that year, Australia were a formidable contender. Over the years, Sri Lanka made big strides and the Aussies dominated the initial phases of the tournament which were largely dominated by them. It was the first Test between the two nations, and Australia won convincingly.
It was in 1999, when it was at Kandy that Sri Lanka defeated Australia in Test cricket for the first time. Sri Lanka succeeded in winning the ODI World Cup in 1996, beating Australia in the final, thus becoming a part of cricket history.
Sri Lanka Vs Australia Test Match Battles
Australia has long been at the top of Test cricket and have often come out of such encounters victorious, especially when Sri Lanka bowlers get some assistance with the turn on Australian pitch for them.
Test Head-to-Head Record
| Statistic | Australia | Sri Lanka | Draws |
| Matches Played | 33 | 33 | 11 |
| Wins | 21 | 5 | 7 |
| Series Won | 12 | 3 | – |
- Sri Lanka’s biggest Test win over Australia was in 2016 when they won the series 3-0 at home.
- It comes three days after Australia’s biggest Test win against Sri Lanka, by an innings and 242 runs in 2025 in Galle.
Sri Lanka Vs Australia One Day International (ODI) Clashes
There have been several thrilling encounters created between the two teams in the ODI format. Australia leads the head to head but Sri Lanka has been admirable when it comes to home series performances.
Overall ODI Head-to-Head Record
| Statistic | Australia | Sri Lanka | No Result |
| Matches Played | 104 | 104 | 4 |
| Wins | 64 | 36 | – |
| Series Won | 17 | 7 | – |
ODI Head-to-Head Record in Sri Lanka
| Statistic | Australia | Sri Lanka | No Result |
| Matches Played | 36 | 36 | 3 |
| Wins | 15 | 18 | – |
| Series Won | 6 | 5 | – |
Memorable ODI Matches:
- Sri Lanka scored 7: Sri Lanka won their first World Cup against Australia in the 1996 World Cup Final, and continues to be their only World Cup triumph to date.
- In the 2022 ODI Series, Sri Lanka stunned Australia at home by beating them 3-2, which was rare to achieve over a top ranked side.
- Australia defeated Sri Lanka by 5 wickets to stay on top of the world in global tournaments in the 2023 ICC World Cup Match.
Recent Five ODI Matches
| Date | Winner | Margin | Venue |
| Oct 16, 2023 | Australia | 5 wickets | Lucknow |
| Jun 24, 2022 | Australia | 4 wickets | Colombo |
| Jun 21, 2022 | Sri Lanka | 4 runs | Colombo |
| Jun 19, 2022 | Sri Lanka | 6 wickets | Colombo |
| Jun 16, 2022 | Sri Lanka | 26 runs | Colombo |
Sri Lanka Vs Australia International T20 Clashes
T20 Head-to-Head Record
| Statistic | Australia | Sri Lanka |
| Matches Played | 28 | 28 |
| Wins | 17 | 11 |
| Series Won | 7 | 3 |
Notable Matches:
- In 2014, it was also the 2014 T20 World Cup, where Sri Lanka emerged winners by beating Australia in the group stage before the main draw.
- Further confirming his dominance in the shorter format, Australia won the 2022 T20 Series against the Windies 4-1.
Recent Test Series (2025): Australia’s Dominance
Australia have crushed Sri Lanka in the latest Test series at Galle (Jan-Feb 2025).
- 1st Test Match (Jan 29 – Feb 1, 2025)
- Venue: Galle International Stadium
- Australia’s Performance:
- It was declared at 654/6 in first innings.
- Usman Khawaja scored 232 runs.
- It was Steve Smith who made 141 runs to go past 10,000 Test runs.
Sri Lanka’s Response:
- First innings: Bowled out for 165 runs.
- Second innings: Bowled out for 247 runs.
- Australia win by a cricketing margin of an innings and 242 runs, their greatest victory in Asia.
Champions Trophy 2025: The Next Chapter
Both teams are getting ready for 2025
- Champions Trophy where they are hoping these teams will pick timed teams and tactics to present in the future.
- Australia’s strength: Pace attack and aggressive batting.
- Sri Lanka’s strategy: Relying on spin and experienced all-rounders.
Key Players in Recent Encounters
Sri Lanka
| Player | Role | Strengths |
| Kusal Mendis | Batsman | Anchoring innings |
| Avishka Fernando | Opener | Aggressive starts |
| Maheesh Theekshana | Spinner | Mystery variations |
| Asitha Fernando | Pacer | Wicket-taking ability |
Australia
| Player | Role | Strengths |
| Steve Smith | Batsman | Experience & consistency |
| Mitchell Starc | Bowler | Lethal yorkers |
| Glenn Maxwell | All-rounder | Game-changer |
| Travis Head | Batsman | Solid top-order |
Conclusion
Sri Lanka vs Australia cricket rivalry has delivered great moments, exciting matches and match defining performances. Australia has the better of most formats but Sri Lanka has historically been embarrassed, shocked and even dominated at home. One such rivalry, the 2025 Champions Trophy is around the corner, and fans can expect another chapter.
The battle continues! Which of the two will hold the advantage next time? Only time will tell! This is all about.
FaQs
Australia leads Sri Lanka by a score of 64 wins to 36 in ODIs.
The last defeat before this that Australia suffered in Sri Lanka came in 1999, when Kandy hosted Sri Lanka’s fist Test victory over the tourists.
The biggest Sri Lanka’s Test series win in its history came when it beat Australia 3-0 courtesy of a whitewash at home in 2016.
Australia lost the 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup Final to Sri Lanka, which was the first World Cup that the team won.
However, Steve Smith is one way England will have a tough time when it comes to scoring runs off against Australia. Smith currently surpasses 10,000 Test runs against Australia in 2025.
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