The match seemed to be over. Sri Lanka needs 59 runs in 3 overs. In bowling, Josh Hazlewood, who looked like he was coming down to play Tests. The pacer got 2 wickets with only 3 runs in the first 3 overs. But Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka sat motionless. Chamika Karunaratne took one run in the first ball. Shanaka, who had taken 6 runs from the previous 12 balls, hit two sixes in the next two balls. The next two say two four. 22 runs in the 18th over. The match was frozen.
What happened in the next two overs is like taking a place in the history of cricket. Sri Lanka beat Australia by 4 wickets for 59 runs in the last 16 balls of the innings. However, Australia won the series 2-1.
Zhao Richardson got the ball in the 19th over after being hit by Hazlewood. Shanakar six in the first ball. The third ball is four Karunaratna, the fifth ball is four Shanakar. L 18 more runs from the 19th over. The hosts needed 19 runs in the last over. Kane Richardson got the ball. The pacer, who had given 28 runs in the previous two overs, sat wide with the first ball. Wide again with the next ball. But the first valid ball came only one run. The next ball is single again.
The third ball is four-sided. Four again with long off four. Sri Lanka needs 6 runs from the last two balls. Shanaka completed his fifty with the next ball. Shanaka made 6 runs from the first 12 balls and took 46 runs from the next 13 balls. The hosts need only 1 run in the last ball.
Shanaka did not have to bat hard. Richardson sat down with Wide. Shanakara routinely ran after Matthew Wade threw, but the match ended earlier!
Earlier, Sri Lanka lost the match due to middle order. Danushka Gunatilka was out for 16 runs. But Pathum Nishanka, Charith Asalanka and Vanuka Rajapaksa kept the run rate under control. Sri Lanka lost 2 wickets in 10 overs and scored 6 runs.
Then a sudden storm, Sri Lanka lost 3 wickets in 18 runs. Hasarangao left the team for 108 runs. Sri Lanka still needs 69 runs. 10 runs came from the next 6 balls but the match seemed to be settled.
Earlier, Australia had regretted not getting a chance to score big. The two openers Finch and Warner started well. But the spin of Mahish Tikshana has stopped both of them. However, Australia crossed 100 in the 13th over. At one end Marcus Stones (37 off 23 balls) was scoring quite a run. But Steve Smith's bat was not running.
Steve Smith will be able to appear on the battlefield from the beginning if he wants from now on. This was known before the T20 series against Sri Lanka. Despite such freedom, Smith made only 26 runs in the first 24 balls. Even after one four and six.
Marlene Smith hit her second four off the fourth ball of the 20th over. The next ball hit a six with a thirdman. In the last ball of the innings, however, Slower played a trick. Smith had to stop for 36 off 26 balls. Strikerate, however, was not exactly like any other batsman who got unfettered freedom in T20.
At the time, it looked like Australia had won. In the first two T20s, Sri Lanka managed only 124 and 127 runs. So Australia could have considered this score safe. But Shanaka changed the whole story in a crazy innings of 54 off 25 balls.
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