• Sri Lanka defeated Australia in the third T20I to avoid the clean sweep.

  • Dasun Shanaka played a match-winning unbeaten knock of 54 off 25 balls.

Dasun Shanaka bliz help Sri Lanka pull off an impossible looking chase against Australia
Dasun Shanaka shines in Sri Lanka's thrilling win over Australia (Image Source: Twitter)

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Dasun Shanaka‘s sensational batting display helped Sri Lanka pull off a memorable victory against Australia in the third and final T20I in Pallekele on Saturday (June 11).

With the series already bagged, Australia went into the third T20I looking to register a whitewash over the Islanders. However, the Sri Lankan captain had some other plans as he went absolute berserk in the final stages of the chase and steered his side to one of the most incredible victories in the shortest format.

It was certainly a next-to-impossible situation as the hosts were reeling at 112/6 after 16 overs, needing 65 runs from 24 deliveries with Shanaka struggling to get going (4 off 10). The equation then became more improbable as Ashton Agar only conceded six runs in the 17th over, leaving Sri Lanka to get 59 off just 18 deliveries.

Shanaka then changed the script and brought back Sri Lanka from the dead to register a thrilling win. He slammed Josh Hazlewood for 21 runs in the 18th over, followed by 18 runs in the penultimate over bowled by Jhye Richardson.

Still, the home team needed 19 runs off the final over bowled by Kane Richardson. But Shanaka was already in the mood to script history as he smashed the bowler for three boundaries, including a six, to win the game with one ball to spare and four wickets in hand. Shanaka scored unbeaten 54 off just 25 deliveries, with the help of five fours and four sixes.

Earlier, notable contributions from David Warner (39), Steve Smith 38 (not out), and Marcus Stoinis (38) helped the visitors post a competitive total of 176/5 on the board in their allotted 20 overs. Maheesh Theekshana was again impressive with his bowling. He conceded only 25 runs in his quota of f4 overs and also picked up a couple of wickets.

Here is how Twitter reacted:

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AKSHAT GAUR
Akshat is the Sr. Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, Akshat has honed his skills over 6 years, working with various media outlets, publications, and organizations to deliver high-quality content that informs, educates, and entertains audiences. He is just another cricket fan who’s grown up watching the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Cricket runs in his veins. Cover drive is his favorite sight, and a ball meeting the middle of the bat is his favorite sound. You can write to him at akshat.gaur@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.