Sri Lanka defeated Australia in third and final T20I on Saturday© AFP
Sri Lanka achieved an improbable win against Australia in the third and final T20I at Pallekele on Saturday as they chased down 177. Heading into the final game, Australia had already sealed the series, but the final game proved to be the most thrilling as it went down to the wire. Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka played a captain’s knock as he scored 54 runs off just 25 balls to help the hosts end the series on a high and take some momentum heading into the ODI series.
Shanaka went on to play an unbeaten knock of 54 runs off 25 balls with the help of five fours and four sixes.
The right-handed batter also hit Josh Hazlewood for 20 runs off 4 balls in the 18th over of the game and it was from there, that the momentum swung Sri Lanka’s way.
Sri Lanka chased down 59 in the final three overs of the game and this is the most number of runs any team has successfully chased in the last three overs of a T20 game.
Dasun Shanaka leads the charge as Sri Lanka hit 59 in the last three!
This is the most ANY team has successfully chased in the last three overs of a T20 game #SLvAUS
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 11, 2022
Along with Shanaka, Chamika Karunaratne also remained unbeaten on 14 off 10 balls.
Talking about the game between Sri Lanka and Australia, the latter batted first and posted 176/5 in 20 overs. David Warner (39), Steven Smith (37*) and Marcus Stoinis (38) played crucial knocks to help the visitors post a score of more than the 170-run mark.
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Chasing 177, Sri Lanka were up against it by the time Shanaka came out to bat in the 13th over of the innings. However, the captain led from the front and the entire Pallekele Stadium erupted in joy once the winning shot was hit.
Australia won the T20I series 2-1 and now both teams will square off in the five-match ODI series, beginning Tuesday in Pallekele.
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