Sri Lanka defeat Australia in fifth T20 to avoid series whitewash

Kusal Mendis fifty seals five-wicket win with one ball to spare in Melbourne

Kusal Mendis scored an unbeaten fifty as Sri Lanka defeated Australia in the fifth and final T20 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, February 20, 2022. Getty

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka after the win over Australia in the fifth T20 on Sunday. Getty

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis, right, and Chamika Karunaratne celebrates their win over Australia during their T20 cricket match in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. (AP Photo / Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka, right, is bowled in Melbourne. AP

Matthew Wade top-scored for Australia with 43. AFP

Dushmantha Chameera, right, of Sri Lanka is congratulated by team mates after getting the wicket of Josh Inglis. Getty

The Australian team pose with the winner's trophy after defeating Sri Lanka 4-1 in the T20 series. AP

Sri Lanka finally got their reward on the penultimate ball of their Australian tour as they won the fifth T20 in Melbourne by five wickets and avoided a series whitewash.

Kusal Mendis hit an unbeaten match-winning 69 and captain Dasun Shanaka made 35 as Sri Lanka chased down Australia's total of 154-6 with one ball to spare.

The visitors came close to winning the second T20 after forcing the match to a super over and had also managed to restrict the hosts to less than 150 in the first T20 in Sydney.

But world champions Australia showed their class to win the first four games. On Sunday, captain Aaron Finch won the toss and batted first. However, they were put under pressure early on by Sri Lanka's bowlers.

Australia struggled to 58-3 off 10 overs before late fireworks from Matthew Wade (43 off 27 balls) and Daniel Sams (18 off 15) ensured a competitive target of 155.

With nothing to lose, Sri Lanka were up to the task. Mendis and Shanaka shared an 83-run stand to send the game to the final six balls of the series with nine needed off the last over from Kane Richardson, which they achieved with a ball to spare.

"The boys played really well throughout the series," said Shanaka. "There was a clear statement that when it comes to the World Cup [in Australia this year] we will be really prepared."

Sri Lanka went on the attack in the chase, hitting 21 in the first three overs

. But it was a risky approach and Pathum Nissanka holed out to Glenn Maxwell off Richardson for 13, then debutant Kamil Mishara was run out for one in the same over.

Charith Asalanka made a quickfire 20 before Janith Liyanage was also run out for eight after a miscommunication with Mendis to leave them at 71-4 after nine overs.

But Mendis and Shanaka steadied the ship to move to within 41 runs off the final five overs.

They reduced the gap to nine off the last over. Shanaka hit a two then a huge six, but in a dramatic finish was then out before Richardson went off with a hamstring injury. It left Sams to bowl the last two balls with Chamika Karunaratne getting the winning run.

"I think it's been a fantastic series for players individually," said Finch. "To keep growing as a team has been fantastic as well.

"Sri Lanka are a very dangerous side," he added. "To win four games in a row was really good, to win five in a row really is tough in a format of the game that can be so fickle at times."

Sri Lanka now play India in three Twenty20 Internationals starting on Thursday, before the two-Test series next month.