20/02Result
5th T20I (D/N), Sri Lanka tour of Australia at Melbourne, Feb 20 2022
Sri Lanka won by 5 wkts (1b rem)
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
Kusal MendisSri Lanka
20/02Result
5th T20I (D/N), Sri Lanka tour of Australia at Melbourne, Feb 20 2022
Sri Lanka won by 5 wkts (1b rem)
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
Kusal MendisSri Lanka

Sri Lanka win by five wickets and avoid the whitewash. They've played very well today and managed to put both sides of their game together. A super innings from Kusal Mendis. Australia not at their best today. They struggled with the bat in the first half of their innings and while they defended hard it wasn't quite enough runs. Sri Lanka have shown enough in this series to give them hope going into the World Cup in October. Australia tried a few things during the series, not sure how many they will stick with through the year. The presentations are coming up shortly.

Randunu: "That quick 20 from Asalanka set the momentum for SL. And what a knock from Mendis."

Gaja: "It is time for Sri Lanka to look beyond Chandimal. Not to offend, but whenever Chandimal is out of the side, the team looks like a completely different side. Good Luck for Indian Series."

Udam: "Really really good time to have a confidence booster for mendis. This is a good end to this tour and specially before indian tour. Now we can see some more competition."

Jameel Hassan : "You win when you attack in Powerplay and SL did it today could have been 2/3 if they applied this formula in other matches too."

Kusal Mendis is player of the match: "Today was a very good game. Dasun Shanaka batted really well. Think we have played well every game."

Glenn Maxwell is player of the series. "It was a really good performance, everyone chipped in. We saw the emergence of Josh Inglis and how spinners did the job they have for a long period of time. We were able to use a bunch of players in different situations."

Dasun Shanaka "The boys played really well throughout the series, made a statement that when we come for the World Cup we'll be prepared. [Kusal] has been an outstanding player throughout. We should keep on giving opportunities to the right players. I'd like to thank all the Sri Lankans who supported us. See you soon in the World Cup.

Aaron Finch "We were probably outplayed in the powerplay with bat and ball. That was the difference. Probably not quite enough in the end. Think we've got a lot of answers. Been a fantastic series for players individually. Sri Lanka are a very dangerous side and to win five games is tough in fickle format. The flexibility of Josh Inglis was fantastic, showed his game is well and truly suited to international, and the depth in our bowling continues to grow. The way Ash Agar came into the side, he's bowled the house down."

Well, with that, we'll bring the curtain down on Australia's home international summer. There's been some terrific cricket throughout and it's been great to bring it to you. We'll be back with much more very soon, including Australia's tour to Pakistan, Sri Lanka's series against India and the Women's ODI World Cup to name just a few. Until then, from Gnasher and Madushka, it's goodbye and thanks for joining us.

19.5
1
Sams to Karunaratne, 1 run, round the wicket, swings away high into the leg side that does it for Sri Lanka!

Still, two balls to get one run. They should be okay...Richardson can't finish the over. He's leaving the field. Sams to bowl. All the fielders inside the circle

19.4
W
KW Richardson to Shanaka, OUT, dragged on! Well, it's not quite over yet. Full outside off, he goes for the scoop and plays it straight into the stumps. Was he getting a bit too cute with that one?

MD Shanaka b KW Richardson 35 (51m 31b 0x4 2x6) SR: 112.90

Plenty for the Sri Lanka supporters to cheer about

19.3
6
KW Richardson to Shanaka, SIX, short and hammered! That's way back into the stands over deep square leg. A crunching pull shot from the captain seals the game

Now Kane Richardson grabbing his left leg

19.2
2
KW Richardson to Shanaka, 2 runs, in the gap at deep midwicket! A very strong flick off the stumps, went high in the air, dropped safely and Stoinis keeps it inside the rope
19.1
0
KW Richardson to Shanaka, no run, back of a length at off stump, 132kph, it's a wild swing and a miss

So it's 9 needed off the last over. Kane Richardson to bowl

END OF OVER:
19 | 11 Runs | SL: 146/4 (9 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.68, RRR: 9.00)

  • Kusal Mendis69 (58b)
  • Dasun Shanaka27 (27b)
  • Jhye Richardson4-0-38-0
  • Kane Richardson3-0-20-1

Mendis is limping a bit

18.6
2
JA Richardson to Mendis, 2 runs, full outside off, plays a skimming drive through the off side and the sweeper can't stop the second
18.5
4
JA Richardson to Mendis, FOUR, great shot! Nearly all the way. Comes across outside off stump, it's a low full toss and he scoops it down to fine leg
18.4
1
JA Richardson to Shanaka, 1 run, full outside off, driven firmly down the ground to long-off
18.4
2w
JA Richardson to Mendis, 2 wides, a full wide yorker, they sprint a bye through to Wade and this one is called wide as the batter didn't move across
18.3
1
JA Richardson to Shanaka, 1 run, walks so far across the crease that he's almost off the pitch, Richardson follows him and it's swept to short fine leg
18.2
1b
JA Richardson to Mendis, 1 bye, another dot! Actually they scamper the bye. Swings across the line of a full delivery outside off, another slower one, and he's through his shot too early
18.1
0
JA Richardson to Mendis, no run, full and wide outside off, a slower ball, Mendis loses his footing as he tries to reach it

20 needed off 12 balls. We've had one Super Over in this series...

END OF OVER:
18 | 8 Runs | SL: 135/4 (20 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.50, RRR: 10.00)

  • Kusal Mendis63 (54b)
  • Dasun Shanaka25 (25b)
  • Kane Richardson3-0-20-1
  • Adam Zampa4-0-33-0
17.6
1
KW Richardson to Mendis, 1 run, back of a length outside off, opens the face and angles it straight to short third but they are able to steal the single
17.5
1
KW Richardson to Shanaka, 1 run, full and straight, a bottom-handed club to long-on
17.4
0
KW Richardson to Shanaka, no run, moves outside leg very early, Richardson sends down a bouncer and Shanaka misses his swat
17.3
1
KW Richardson to Mendis, 1 run, keeps it short of a length, pulls and it almost carries to long-on but lands safely
17.2
4
KW Richardson to Mendis, FOUR, this time the scoop works! Back of a length outside off, shuffling across the stumps and gets it cleanly over short fine leg
17.2
1w
KW Richardson to Mendis, 1 wide, full and down the leg side, that's useful for Sri Lanka
17.1
0
KW Richardson to Mendis, no run, back of a length outside off, he goes right across the crease to scoop and misses so it's a dot

Kane Richardson. He has two to bowl

END OF OVER:
17 | 7 Runs | SL: 127/4 (28 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.47, RRR: 9.33)

  • Kusal Mendis57 (50b)
  • Dasun Shanaka24 (23b)
  • Adam Zampa4-0-33-0
  • Jhye Richardson3-0-28-0
16.6
1
Zampa to Mendis, 1 run, full and straight, pushed to long-on as Sri Lanka avoid damage against Zampa. That's a good outcome
16.5
1
Zampa to Shanaka, 1 run, comes down the pitch then tucks this off his pads to short fine leg
16.4
1
Zampa to Mendis, 1 run, that's better, plays this along the ground to long-off
16.3
1
Zampa to Shanaka, 1 run, did this carry?! Think it just reached Jhye Richardson at short third. Came charging down the pitch and had a big swing, getting a thick outside edge
16.2
2
Zampa to Shanaka, 2 runs, steps to leg and rifles a drive against a full delivery which races straight down the ground...Agar does well to cut it off

Match Coverage

All Match News

Sri Lanka 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st23BKG MendisP Nissanka
2nd1BKG MendisK Mishara
3rd30BKG MendisKIC Asalanka
4th17BKG MendisJ Liyanage
5th83MD ShanakaBKG Mendis
6th1C KarunaratneBKG Mendis