Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka win a close thriller to continue excellent T20I record

They lost all the matches in the Test and the ODI series in South Africa but one shining ray was their 2-1 win in the T20I series. Sri Lanka minus Angelo Mathews seems a pretty mediocre unit but Upul Tharanga and his men carried the confidence of a series win in South Africa down under and overhauled a challenging total put ahead of them by the Aussies to take lead in the three-match T20I series.

The Lankan skipper won the toss and asked Aaron Finch’s men to bat first and set them a target – chasing has been something they have been comfortable with given the presence of some hard hitters in the lineup. Australia got off to a great start with 36-year-old Michael Klinger and Finch playing quick fire knocks. They batted together for over 10 overs and added 76 runs together before Klinger was dismissed for 38 by Lakshan Sandakan.

Finch departed in the next over from Asela Gunaratne for 43. Travis Head added 31 but it was a poor show thereafter Moises Henriques managed just 17, Ashton Turner turned up for 13 balls and scored 18. James Faulkner’s two boundaries in the end, took them to 168/6 in 20 overs. Lasith Malinga making his international comeback was on a hat-trick but couldn’t repeat his feat and ended his 4 overs with 2/29.

It was a tricky total but the Aussie bowlers needed to bowl really well to defend that given the hitting abilities the Lankan team possesses. Pat Cummins gave them an early blow dismissing the skipper Tharanga for a duck. Niroshan Dickwella and Dilshan Munaweera got them going with 30 and 44 were both scalped by the leggie Adam Zampa.

Gunaratne who scored a hundred in the last ODI against South Africa was up for it with the bat this time as well and struck seven boundaries in 37 balls to score 52. But his dismissal on the first ball of the 18th over with the score at 151 gave a scare as Turner sent back Milinda Siriwardana a ball later. Chamara Kapugedera and Seekkuge Prasanna showed great control over their nerves to take them over the line with 3 needed in the last two balls. Kapugedera hit the last ball from Andrew Tye for a boundary to take them over the line with 5 wickets in hand.

Here is how Twitter reacted during the close encounter:

The bowler's Tye but the match isn't #AUSvSL

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) February 17, 2017

Sorry Tye no tie. Bye Bye #AUSvSL

— Gautam Bhimani (@gbhimani) February 17, 2017

mixed day for australia
strong performance with the bat in mumbai
last ball defeat in melbourne

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) February 17, 2017

We played with 13 Australians and won ?????

— samanthaalgama (@samanthaalgama) February 17, 2017

Sri Lanka's record vs Australia in T20Is on Aussy Soil

WON
WON
WON
WON#AUSvSL

— AQEEB (@AKSCOOP6) February 17, 2017

Asela Gunaratne! Champion in the making. Melbourne or Keththarama? Sri Lankas local ground abroad #AUSvSL

— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) February 17, 2017

Two hot ?? to handle! On his return to international cricket:

2⃣ wickets in 2⃣ balls!
2⃣ catches#AUSvSL pic.twitter.com/wHo5Zt4vo2

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) February 17, 2017

Having Munaweera in Sri Lanka not playing & keep playing Chandimal is like having Chicken koththu in fridge and eating butter paan #AUSvSL

— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) February 17, 2017

Michael Klinger (36 years & 229 days) becomes Australia’s oldest T20I debutant; passing Brad Hogg’s record of 35 years & 18 days #AUSvSL

— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) February 17, 2017

What a game! Sri Lanka to good tonight. I love how aggressive they were with the bat in the first 10 overs

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) February 17, 2017

Over 18: 6 runs
Over 19: 6 runs
Over 20: 6 was needed and was down to 1 off the last ball.
Kapugedara does it!!
Lanka win!! #AUSvSL

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) February 17, 2017

SL did, what SL does best. Take the match to the brink and won. #AUSvSL

— Sameera Malinda (@sameera79) February 17, 2017

Sri Lanka have won three T20s in a row having lost 17 of their preceding 21 & have chased 169 (SL record) & 168 in their last two. #AusvSL

— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) February 17, 2017

What a finish fm Sri Lanka. Top run chase. Hard at the top from Munaweera and Dickwella. And in Gunaratne found a new star i reckon #AUSvSL

— Gautam Bhimani (@gbhimani) February 17, 2017

Australia in T20Is at home:

Since 2016: Lost Lost Lost Lost
vs Sri Lanka: Lost Lost Lost Lost#AUSvSL

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) February 17, 2017

Congratulations Lions,
Good old days are back ✔
A win with a heart attack ✔
Death bowling duo Mali & Kule ✔
reliable batting ✔#SLvAUS

— Inshaf (@InshafImam) February 17, 2017

Sri Lanka chase down Australia's total in a last ball thriller despite tons from Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh. #AUSvSL

— Abhishek (@absycric) February 17, 2017

Somehow every T20 game Sri Lanka play against Australia is so exciting!

These two teams need regular T20 tournaments! #AUSvSL

— Sakun Sankalana (@Sakun_SD) February 17, 2017

All Fielders in 30 yards circle when SL were required 1 off 1 #AUSvSL pic.twitter.com/FG5BaHcaPe

— The Art of Leaving (@TheYorkerBall) February 17, 2017

Sri Lanka's win against Australia is the 18th occasion that a team reached the target on the last ball of a T20i. #AUSvSL #CricketStats

— Shahzad Tirmizi Syed (@shahzadtirmizi) February 17, 2017

That feeling when you win off the last ball…. @OfficialSLC ???#AUSvSL pic.twitter.com/sm9ks61SAj

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) February 17, 2017

Upul Tharanga: "South Africa and Australia are the best sides and winning against them in their home conditions is phenomenal." #AUSvSL

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) February 17, 2017

What a fantastic win by @OfficialSLC. Well captained well played. Never easy to win Australia. Proud of the team

— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) February 17, 2017

Sensational run chase and a brilliant win by Sri Lanka under pressure. Complete team performance. Very proud of the boys ????

— Sanath Jayasuriya (@sanath07) February 17, 2017

Aaron Finch: "We haven't performed well in this format, since forever!" The skipper talks about their woes in this format. #AUSvSL

— Indrajith Bandara (@Indrajithonline) February 17, 2017

42,511 is a excellent ground for a out of sync season match between a undermanned Australian team & a unknown Sri Lankan side. #AusvSL

— Peter Phoebe (@EatDrinkCricket) February 17, 2017

Imagine what would happen if it was Chandimal instead of Gunattne or Munaweera ? #AUSvSL

— Dayan Chandrasekaran (@iDayan_) February 17, 2017

It's great to witness @OfficialSLC in such a winning form. Looking forward to a victory on Sunday to clinch the series. #AUSvSL

— Rehan Fernando (@MrRehanFernando) February 17, 2017

SriLanka never fails to give us a cardiac arrest.?#AUSvSL

— ArAfAtH_FzL (@arafathfazal) February 17, 2017

@MCG #AUSvSL pic.twitter.com/eMdcllKjW3

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) February 17, 2017

Sri Lanka vs Australia

Sri Lanka – 7
Australia – 4

In Australia
Sri Lanka – 4
Australia – 0 #AUSvSL

— Cricket Tweets (@CricketTweetss) February 17, 2017

Malingas comeback was good yet finding his rhythm, let's hope he will be in this pace until June and release the monster in ICC ?. #AUSvSL

— Inthiqab Omer (@Inthiqab93) February 17, 2017