However, the hosts created ODI cricket history and chased down their target with nine balls to spare.
Pathum Nisanka scored his maiden ODI century with 137 runs in the chase, while Kusal Mendis made 87 off 85 balls and shared a 170-run stand with Pathum for the second wicket. The partnership helped Sri Lanka to their biggest successful chase of all time against Australia, as they went 2-1 in the five-match series with back-to-back victories over the Tourists for the first time in 20 years.
Despite the loss, Australia insisted they did not make a mistake by going without a front-line legspinner after their six-wicket loss in Colombo.
With Adam Zampa back home on paternity leave, Australia decided not to feed Michelle Swepson. Australia could not take advantage of batting after winning the toss. Dew eased the Sri Lankan batsmen’s chase in the second innings.
Matthew Kuhneman (0–61 in 10 overs) and Glenn Maxwell were chosen as Australia’s main spinners, with Cameron Green (0–31 in five overs) being preferred as the fast bowling all-rounder before Swepson.
While Sri Lankan spinner Jeffrey Vanderle bowled well with figures of 3-49 and got his team wickets at frequent intervals. Australia were forced to turn to Marnus Labuschagne (0-49) for seven overs from the spinners.
Captain Aaron Finch said, “You can always look at a lot of decisions and think what was right.”
“We still felt it was the right combination to go on this wicket considering how slow it looked.
“You saw in the first half of the game that it was very stalled and there was a bit of a turning wicket. We thought it would continue to do that but it played a little better under the lights.