Dasun Shanaka came in when Sri Lanka was reeling at 98/5 while chasing the 177-run target. His unbeaten 25-ball 54 helped Sri Lanka to beat Australia by four wickets and avoid a whitewash in the T20I series. Sri Lanka all-rounder Dasun Shanaka has become the first-ever player to score 50-plus runs in the death overs of a T20I chase.
Dasun Shanaka achieved the feat during the third T20I against Australia when his unbeaten 25-ball 54 helped the island team to beat the Down Under side and avoid a whitewash in the T20I series in Pallekele on Saturday. The right-hander walked in when his side was reeling at 98/5 while chasing the 177-run target.
Dasun Shanaka Scores 25 Ball 54 Becoming First-Ever Player To Score 50 Plus Runs In Death Overs
Dasun Shanaka exploded to put the pressure back on Australia with Sri Lanka needing 19 runs off the last over from Kane Richardson. Dasun Shanaka smashed two back-to-back boundaries and followed it with a maximum to level the scores. With Kane Richardson bowling a wide delivery on the last ball, scenes of jubilation emerged from the Sri Lankan camp. Dasun Shanaka’s innings saw four maximums and five boundaries in total.
Australia and Sri Lanka will next play the five-match ODI series between June 14 to 24, with the first two to be held in Pallekele and the remaining three to take place in Colombo.
Dasun Shanaka And Chamika Karunaratne Shared 69 Run Stand For 7th Wicket
With 59 needed in the final three overs, Sri Lanka was staring down the barrel but Dasun Shanaka launched a stunning assault on the Australian bowlers to give his side a famous win. Struggling at 108 for six in the 15th over, Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne shared a match-winning 69-run stand for the seventh wicket.
With the series already bagged, Australia went into the final Twenty20 International (T20I) looking to register a whitewash over Sri Lanka in their own backyard. And for nearly three-quarters of the match, Australia was in a prime position to clean sweep the series.
In pursuit of a stiff 177-run target, Sri Lanka was reduced to 188 for 6 in 17 overs, requiring 59 runs off the last 18 balls. Australia’s premier speedster Josh Hazlewood came into the attack and the show began. Chamika Karunaratne took a single off the first ball and gave the strike to his captain.
Dasun Shanaka instantly hit the top gear, smashing 20 runs off the next four deliveries (6, 6, 4, 4) to send the Aussies in a state of shock. The Sri Lanka skipper started off the penultimate over with a six and smashed two boundaries, bringing down the equation to 19 needed off the final 6 balls.
Kane Richardson, who came to defend those 19 runs, succumbed under pressure and delivered two consecutive wides at the beginning. Following a couple of singles, Dasun Shanaka charged again with back-to-back boundaries and leveled the score with a maximum. The Aussie quick then bowled another wide and Sri Lanka ended the series with a win to remember.
Sri Lanka 177 for 6 (Shanaka 54*, Stoinis 2-8, Hazlewood 2-25) beat Australia 176 for 5 (Warner 39, Stoinis 38, Theekshana 2-25) by four wickets