Sri Lanka Australia ODI: Sri Lanka leveled the five-match series 1-1 with a thrilling 26-run win over Australia in the rain-hit second one-day international.
Sri Lanka leveled the five-match One Day International (ODI) series against Australia 1-1 after a thrilling 26-run win (DLS method) in the second match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. In the rain-hit match, the Sri Lankan bowlers came to the party and led the team to a memorable victory. Chasing a rain-corrected target of 216 runs in 43 overs, Australia faced batsmen to be bundled out for 189 in 37.1 overs as Sri Lanka bounced back from their defeat in the first ODI.
Sri Lanka Australia ODI: Fast bowler Chamika Karunaratne led the Sri Lankan attack with three wickets. But fast bowling partner Dushmantha Chameera hammered the last nail in the coffin by casting Matthew Kuhneman to drive fans crazy with joy at Pallekele.
Karunaratne played an innings of 3-47 runs to Steve Smith for 28 and Glenn Maxwell for 30 runs. Dhananjay de Silva, Dunith Velalez and Chamira took two wickets each.
Sri Lanka Australia ODI: Australia lost their last five wickets for just 19 runs. Earlier, de Silva also scored 34 runs with the bat and added 61 runs for the third wicket with Kusal Mendis, who scored 36, to guide Sri Lanka to 220 for nine when rain stopped play and the innings. Forced to end late. In the chase, Australia lost their opener Aaron Finch on 14, and David Warner on 37, to de Silva, as the tourists stumbled in their difficult chase on a pitch difficult to bat.
Pat Cummins returned figures of 4-35 but his effort was in vain.
Sri Lanka Australia ODI: Smith and Travis Head attempted to rebuild the innings and put on 31 runs before Karunaratne broke. Karunaratne smashed Smith for 28 and Velez’s Head (23) and Marnus Labuchagne (18) took two wickets in their two overs to put the Aussies in trouble at 132-5.
Maxwell came back to trouble the bowlers in his brief stay on the wicket, but misplaced a shot in the end to take a catch from Karunaratne at cover. He scored 30 runs in 25 balls. Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey was run out for 15 as the Aussie chased wheels off.
