Australia put on a clinical performance versus Sri Lanka as they won the third Twenty20 International by six wickets to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
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Kane Richardson’s three wickets and aggressive knocks from Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch helped Australia continue their dominance of Sri Lanka. The six-wicket win in the third Twenty20 International at Canberra on Tuesday saw the Aussies win their seventh straight Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka. The visitors were already dented before the match when their ace spinner Wanindu Hasaranga tested positive for the coronavirus. Hasaranga will now miss the remaining matches as he continues his recovery.
Australia chose to bowl on a sluggish wicket at the Manuka Oval and Kane Richardson was in fine touch. After being hit around the park in Sydney, he was the bowler who hit the right lengths. After Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were hit around the park, it was Richardson who struck with his first ball as Danushka Gunathilaka was dismissed for 9. Charith Asalanka hit a six to get off the mark but he fell to Richardson in his first over itself.
After Richardson made inroads, it was the turn of the spinners to tighten the screws. Kusal Mendis was caught and bowled by Ashton Agar for 4. Mendis never really got going and his struggles ended. Glenn Maxwell then struck to remove the dangerous Pathum Nissanka. The batter nailed the slog sweep to deep midwicket but Daniel Sams dived to his right and took a brilliant catch near the boundary.
Dinesh Chandimal and Dasun Shanaka tried to build a stand but the pressure mounted due to Australia’s discipline. Shanaka upped the ante with two fours off Sams as Sri Lanka looked to reach 100. Richardson ended his fine spell with the wicket of Chandimal. Starc, though, had a horror moment as he sent down a three-meter high full toss past Matthew Wade for the candidate of ‘horror delivery of the decade’. Some crisp hits from Shanaka allowed Sri Lanka to end on 121/6.
Read – Australia Take Lead in T20I series vs Sri Lanka
Australia started badly when Maheesh Theekshana sent back Ben McDermott in the first ball of their innings. Ashton Agar got a promotion but it did not work as Theekshana got his second wicket. Glenn Maxwell and Finch, however, maintained a positive attitude. Maxwell and Finch hit a boundary each of Dushmantha Chameera as Australia ended the powerplay on 40/2. Maxwell unleased the reverse sweep to deposit Jeffrey Vandersay into the stands but Sri Lanka dropped him off the very next ball. The Big Show hit another six off Karunaratne but just as he was nearing his fifty, Theekshana got his third wicket.
Josh Inglis and Finch got the target down at a steady rate. When Finch fell to Vandersay for 35, Australia needed just 20 runs. Marcus Stoinis and Inglis ensured Australia took an unassailable lead in the series. The next two games will be held in Melbourne on February 18 and 20.
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