SYDNEY : Sri Lanka lost its second T20 encounter against Australia in a super over thriller after a wonderful fightback by Sri Lanka to get 46 runs in 18 balls to tie the scores. However, Hazlewood limited Sri Lanka to only 5 runs in the super over. Hasaranga bowling the super over could not limit the Aussies and Australia scored the target of in the third ball of the Hasaranga over and reached 9 runs for no wickets.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and decided to bowl first. The Sri Lankan bowlers did a splendid job to restrict Aussies to 164 runs for 6 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
IPL Auction star players Hasaranga picked up 2 for 33 runs while Dushmantha Chameera picked up 2 wickets for 30 runs. Spinner Theekshana picked up the prize wicket of Maxwell. The top scorer for the Kangaroos was Inglis for 48 runs off 32 balls while skipper Finch hit 25 runs off 20 balls.
Chasing a target of 165, the Sri Lankan batsman had a jittery start with the score reeling at 25 for 3 wickets in just the 4th over. Both Asalanka and Danushka Gunathilaka were back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Hazlewood had 2 wickets for 9 runs in the first spell of 2 overs. The healing process started with Chandimal joining lone fighter Pathum Nissanka. At the end of 10 overs Sri Lankan score was 65 for 3 wickets needing 100 runs in the last 10 overs to win the encounter. Zampa picked up Chandimals wicket and Sri Lanka was in trouble again at 67 runs 4 wickets. Skipper Shanaka joined hands with Nissanka to consolidate the innings.
Sri Lanka needed 58 runs to win in the last 5 overs with 6 wickets in hand with skipper Shanaka (33) and Nissanka (47) at the wickets. An unfortunate and unnecessary run cost Sri Lankan skipper his wicket when he was looking good at the wicket. He hit a quick 34 runs off 19 balls to give Sri Lanka a chance at a win.
Sri Lanka’s final hope was on Nissanka and Hasaranga partnership. They put together 31 runs before Hasaranga was picked up by Hazlewood. Needing 18 runs in the last over with 3 wickets in hand , a win was possible with all hopes on Nissanka.
Nissanka went passed a well deserved half century and scored 73 off 53 balls however his wicket was picked up by Stoinis when Sri Lanka needed 12 runs to win. Theekshana hit a six and Chameera hit a boundary to level the score at 164 for 8 wickets and take the match to a super over. (RZ) – Title image credit Australian cricket board twitter
Super over
Hazlewood bowled for the aussies and dinesh chandimal was run out by maxwell. Sri Lanka only managed 5 runs from Hazlewood’s tight over. The Aussies reached the target in the third ball of the Hasaranga over by hitting 9 runs off the over.
Australia won the super over and lead the 5 match series 2-0
