Michael Klinger, Aaron Finch and Adam Zampa started in the 3rd and final T20 as the hosts managed a 41 run consolation win despite losing the series 2-1 to the Lankan Lions in the land down under.
Photos: Sri Lanka v Australia| 3rd T20I
Photos of the Sri Lanka v South Africa | 3rd T20I at Adelaide, Ground.
Sri Lankan skipper Upul Tharanga won the third toss in a row and elected to field first as Dasun Shanaka replaced suspended Niroshan Dickwella for Sri Lanka. The star bowler for Australia in the first T20, Adam Zampa returned for Australia replacing Andrew Tye.
Sri Lanka pegged back the Aussies who were on course for 200 but was restricted to 187 as Malinga and Shanaka bowled sublime 19th and 20th overs for just 10 runs accounting for 4 Australian wickets.
Earlier in the game Dilshan Munaweera grassed a sitter of Aaron Finch in the fourth ball of the first over as the Australian captain and opening batsman made the sloppy Lankans pay scoring a brisk 53 off 32 balls.
He was supported well by fellow opener, Michael Klinger as he batted through 18 overs of the game scoring 62 off 43 balls including 1 six and 6 fours.
Australia dominated until the 18th over of the game scoring 177 for the loss of just 2 wickets maintaining at an average of 9.83 runs per over.
Ben Dunk and Tavis Head were the only other batsmen to get into double figures after the number 3 and 4 batsmen managed 28 and 30 respectively for the hosts.
The visitors carried in the momentum from the depth overs into their batting as the Lankan openers scored 41 in 3.4 overs. Tharanga was the first to fall to James Faulkner for 14 runs off 12 balls.
Munaweera continued on his merry way to speedy 37 off 25 balls with 2 sixes and 3 fours before holding out at long-on off the bowling of Head.
Middle order woes continued for the Lankans as Mendis, the hero from the first two T20’s Gunaratne, Kapugedara and Shanaka all fell for cheap crippling the Lankans at 91 for the loss of 6 wickets.
Seekuge Prasanna made a brisk 12 off 8 balls as he was the single low order batsman to get into double figures.
Milinda Siriwardana kept the visitors in the game with some sublime strokes around the park, but along with his dismissal for 35 so did the hopes of a white wash disappear as Sri Lanka slumped to a 41 run defeat at Adelaide.
James Faulkner (3/20) and Adam Zampa (3/25) were the pick of the bowlers for Australia as the medium pacer and the leg spinner bagged 6 wickets between each other.
Zampa’s 3-for on return earned him the man of the match performance as the hero from the first two T20’s, Asela Gunaratne was crowned man of the series.
