Skipper Warner guides Australia to 4-1 ODI series win over Lanka

Sri Lanka were rattled even further when Dinesh Chandimal (1) fell only two balls later, caught behind off Mitchell Starc (3-40).

The first T20I will take place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday (September 6) while Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka will come to an end after the completion of the second T20I at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 9. Shanaka replaces him, who had claimed three wickets in the first innings of Test at Headingley against England, and also took a five-wicket haul in an ODI against Ireland, in Dublin.

Sri Lanka won the toss for the fourth consecutive match but they were unable to build on an impressive quickfire opening stand of 73 between captain Danushka Gunathilaka (39) and fellow opener De Silva (34).

The Australia is now leading the 5 match series by 3-1 and credit must go to the ODI specialist, who implemented themselves really well in the Subcontinent conditions. Apart from these two, Boland bowled beautifully in the last match and Adam Zampa has been the lone spinner for David Warner’s team.

In his third match as captain, Warner scored 106 as Australia reached 5-199 to overhaul Sri Lanka’s modest tally of 195 with seven overs to spare in Pallekele. The batsman was beaten by the angle of the ball, giving a catch to mid-on in the 14th over.

Kusal Mendis (33) and Upul Tharanga put on 43 for the fourth wicket to try and rebuild the innings, but the wickets kept tumbling.

TV replays suggested he had got an inside edge on to his pad but third umpire Michael Gough thought otherwise.

The 29-year-old hit just one boundary in his first 59 balls, and was lucky to survive a scare when he appeared to be caught on 22 in the 13th over, with Australia languishing at 2-44.

Currently, Starc and Hazlewood touring at the one-day squad against Sri Lanka.

“We are really disappointed with the batting unit throughout the series”, Chandimal said.

Marsh said, “during their rest some young bowlers will get a great opportunity to perform their own”. “With experienced guys we have good youngsters, but they have to learn if they get a start they have to bat longer”.

The two teams now head into the two-match Twenty20 worldwide series starting on September 6 at the same venue.