Sports

Australia beat Sri Lanka to avoid Twenty20 series whitewash

Australia beat Sri Lanka to avoid Twenty20 series whitewash

By REUTERS

Australia's Aaron Finch plays a shot against Sri Lanka as Kusal Perera watches during their third one day international cricket match in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, Sunday, August 28, 2016. Photo: AP

ADELAIDE: Australia beat Sri Lanka by 41 runs in their final Twenty20 game on Wednesday, avoiding a whitewash in the three-match series and salvaging some pride. Australia got off to a flier courtesy of captain and opening batsman Aaron Finch's 53 runs off 32 balls. His partner Michael Klinger scored a controlled 62 runs off 43 balls to help take the hosts to a total of 187. Sri Lanka began impressively but wickets tumbled as they struggled to cope with leg-spinner Adam Zampa, losing five wickets, including that of in-form all-rounder Asela Gunaratne, between the eighth and 12th over. Zampa and medium pacer James Faulkner picked up three wickets each. Australia were fielding a below-full-strength side with their test squad currently in India. Gunaratne was named man-of-the-series after scoring half centuries in the first two matches