Sri Lanka won the fifth and final Twenty20 against Australia by five wickets on Sunday, preventing a series whitewash. Kusal Mendis hit an unbeaten match-winning 69 and skipper Dasun Shanaka blasted 35.
The hosts had won their previous four games, three of them easily, and when skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and chose to bat, they were looking for a large total.
However, they were quickly exposed by some superb Sri Lankan bowling.
Australia limped to 58 for three after ten overs, but late fireworks from Matthew Wade (43 off 27 balls) and Daniel Sams (18 off 15) guaranteed a challenging 154 for three.
six.
Sri Lanka was up to the challenge because they had nothing to lose.
Mendis and Shanaka put on an 83-run partnership to take the game to the wire with nine runs needed off Kane Richardson's final over, which they got with a ball to spare in a dramatic finish.
Throughout the series, the guys performed admirably "Shanaka stated. "There was a clear statement that we will be fully prepared for the World Cup (this year in Australia).""
Early in the run chase, Sri Lanka batted fearlessly, scoring 21 runs in the first three overs.
Pathum Nissanka holed out to Glenn Maxwell off Richardson for 13 and debutant Kamil Mishara was run out for one in the same over, so it was a hazardous approach.
After nine overs, Charith Asalanka produced a quickfire 20 before Janith Liyanage was run out for eight after an inexplicable miscommunication with Mendis, leaving them at 71 for four.
Mendis, on the other hand, was batting superbly and, with Shanaka's help, brought up his sixth career half-century off 43 balls to bring the score within 41 runs off the final five overs.
With the last over, they were able to close the gap to nine points.
Shanaka smashed a two and a six, but was bowled in a frantic end before Richardson left with a hamstring injury. Daniel Sams was left to bowl the final two balls, with Chamika Karunaratne scoring the game-winning run.
"I think it's been a wonderful series for the guys," Finch said. "It's also been terrific to continue to grow as a team."
Sri Lanka is a dangerous opponent "Added he. "Winning four games in a row was fantastic; winning five in a row is really difficult in a game type that can be so unpredictable at times.""
Sri Lanka have previously stymied Australia with their bowling.
In the fourth over, under pressure to get the scoreboard moving, Finch whacked his bat at Dushmantha Chameera and was caught for eight by Lahiru Kumara, a second failure for the captain.
Soon after, Ben McDermott was out for three after slogging at Praveen Jayawickrama, leaving Australia on 13 for two from five overs.
Before the scary situation, Josh Inglis and Maxwell got the scoreboard going. Chameera struck Inglis in the head with a strike to the helmet. He was in good health.However, a video revealed that the ball had clipped his glove on its way through, and he was caught and bowled after a feisty 23.
Australia were 58 for three at the halfway point until Kumara took the crucial wickets of Marcus Stoinis (17) and Glenn Maxwell (29) in the same over, leaving Wade and Sams to bat out and add crucial late runs.
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