Hosts Sri Lanka pulled off a fantastic chase in the third and final T20I against Australia in Kandy, which also helped them avoid a series whitewash. Chasing 177 runs to win, the hosts at one point were 6 wickets down for just 118 runs and required nearly 60 more runs to win from three overs. While most thought that getting over the line would be impossible for Sri Lanka, Dasun Shanaka had other plans.
Josh Hazlewood, who had bowled exceedingly well in his first three overs – giving away only two runs and picking three wickets – was at Shanaka’s receiving end in his fourth over, which was the 18th over of the play. 22 runs came off the 18th over, after which the hosts needed 37 to win from two overs, which was still a big task.
But Shanaka continued his assault, and together with Chamika Karunaratne, he scored 18 off the penultimate over which was bowled by Jhye Richardson. Sri Lanka now needed 19 to win off the last over, which still looked very difficult.
Richardson started the over well, bringing the equation to 15 needed off four balls. But Shanaka smashed two sixes and a four off the last three balls to wrap up the chase with a ball to spare. The batsman scored 48 off his last 13 balls and overall remained unbeaten on 54 off 25. Shanaka’s knock was laced with five boundaries and four maximums, nearly all of which came in the last three overs.
Sri Lanka now hold the record for most number of runs scored in the last three overs in T20Is in a winning cause. Earlier this year, West Indies also scored 59 runs in the last three but in a losing cause.
Image credit: ICC
