Sri Lanka shatter world record as Dasun Shanaka helps them pull off epic run-chase against Australia

Sri Lanka pulled off a miraculous run-chase in the third and final T20I against Australia to deny the visitors a 3-0 clean sweep in the three-match series. Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka turned out to be the hero for his side as he played an absolute blinder of a knock to take his side home in a thrilling run-chase at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele on Saturday (June 11). Shanaka went berserk with the bat in the death overs and took the Australian bowlers to the cleaners.

He came out to bat at number six when Sri Lanka were reeling at 96/4 in the 13th over. The Sri Lankan skipper went on to play a sensational knock of unbeaten 54 off just 25 deliveries to take his side home in the 177-run chase with one ball to spare. His knock was laced with four sixes and five fours as the Sri Lankan skipper made a mockery of the Aussie bowling attack.

Sri Lanka required 19 to win off the final over with Kane Richardson bowling the last over for the Aussies. Shanka slammed back-to-back fours on the third and fourth delivery of the over before smashing a six on the penultimate ball to put the hosts on the verge of a victory and also bring up his fifty off just 25 balls.

Sri Lanka create a world record:

Sri Lanka scored a whopping 59 runs in the final three overs to pull off an epic run-chase against Australia. They have now created a new world record for scoring the most runs in the final three overs of a T20I game in a successful run-chase. Thanks to Shanaka's heroics, Sri Lanka scored 59 off 17 balls against the Aussies on Saturday.

West Indies too had scored 59 runs in the final three overs during a run-chase against England earlier this year. However, they fell short by just 1 run to miss out on the record. However, despite winning the third and final T20I, Sri Lanka lost the three-match series 2-1 and will be hoping to bounce back in the upcoming five-match ODI series against the visitors.