Revamped Australia clinch unassailable series lead

A revamped Australian side cruised to a series-sealing six-wicket victory in the third Dettol T20I in Canberra on the back of a smothering bowling performance led by Kane Richardson and Ashton Agar.

Mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshanna (3-24) stood up in the absence of the COVID-hit Wanindu Hasaranga but contributions from Glenn Maxwell (35 off 26) and new No.3 Aaron Finch (35 off 36) were enough to see the hosts clinch an unassailable 3-0 series lead.

Sri Lanka's 6-121 on a true Manuka Oval surface never looked enough as only captain Dasun Shanaka (39no from 38 balls) offered any sustained resistance against a rejigged Aussie bowling line-up missing Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa.

The visitors needed everything to go their way after their sub-par batting effort but gave Maxwell three lives to squander a superb spell from Theekshanna, who had put Australia in early strife with two wickets inside the Powerplay.

Fresh off an expensive return to international cricket on Sunday in which he admitted he was short of his best, Richardson hit back in style by dismissing three of Sri Lanka's top five in a suffocating spell of 3-21. 

Agar, acknowledged as one of Australian cricket's biggest hard-luck stories having missed all but one World Cup match despite establishing himself as one of the T20I side's key men leading into their elusive title tilt last year, was equally impressive.

It was little surprise then that he seized his chance as fellow spinner Zampa rested, snaring 1-14 and not conceding a single boundary from his four overs.

The surprise move to also throw him up to open the batting and move Finch down to first drop did not quite pan out for Agar as he, a ball after hoicking Theekshana for six, was lbw to the crafty Theekshanna.

Finch's 'demotion' did prove a success however, with the skipper's strong record from seven previous T20I innings away from the opening spot (average of 75, strike-rate of 172) continuing as he all but got Australia over the line.  

Theekshanna proved a handful as he had Ben McDermott caught at slip on the first ball of Australia's innings while Glenn Maxwell could have suffered the same fate when he edged the first delivery he faced too.  

Dropped again on 9 and 22, Maxwell unleashed with a series of typically enterprising strokes, the most audacious a switch-hit for six over (a right-hander's) cover off Jeffrey Vandersay, before holing out to deep mid-wicket off Theekshanna.

Australia's bowling effort was made all the more impressive given the absence of two main strike-weapons in Zampa and Cummins (also rested), while Daniel Sams (0-18 off three overs) gave a good account of himself in his first game for Australia in a year.

Sams' most telling contribution came in the field when he snaffled a stunning catch on the leg-side boundary to remove opener Pathum Nissanka, Sri Lanka's batting star from their second T20I, for only 16.

The only blip in an otherwise clinical Australian bowling performance was a wild Mitchell Starc (0-34) delivery that flew way over Shanaka's head and brought back memories of Steve Harmison's infamous 2006-07 Ashes opener.

Sri Lanka's rough tour has seen three separate COVID-19 cases (Hasaranga was confirmed only hours before play on Tuesday, while Binura Fernando and Kusal Mendis have also had the virus) and was soured further by an injury to promising sling bowler Nuwan Thushara.

He walked off with an apparent side strain after bowling just seven balls.

Australia's win marks eight straight T20 Internationals against Sri Lanka without defeat.

Having inserted Sri Lanka, Richardson made an instant impact with a double-wicket first over as Danushka Gunathilaka gifted a catch to short fine-leg before Charith Asalanka nicked behind a ball after belting a six.

Agar and Maxwell also struck immediately, accounting for the returning Mendis and second T20 star Nissanka respectively in their first overs.

Nissanka had been aghast to depart after a sweetly-timed slog sweep that looked destined to fly over the boundary before Sams underscored his supreme athleticism with his brilliant diving catch.

Shanka flayed five boundaries but found little support from his teammates as only Dinesh Chandimal, who struggled for fluency and only found the fence once in his 29-ball 25, the only other visiting batter to reach double digits.

Dettol T20 Series v Sri Lanka 2022

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head*, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa * unavailable for first three matches

Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Ramesh Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Shiran Fernando

Game 1: Australia won by 20 runs (DLS)

Game 2: Australia won in a Super Over

February 15: Third T20, Manuka Oval, 7.10pm AEDT

February 18: Fourth T20, MCG, 7.10pm AEDT

February 20: Fifth T20, MCG, 5.10pm AEDT

All matches broadcast exclusively on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports. Radio coverage by ABC Grandstand, Triple M and SEN