Sri Lanka vs Australia, 3rd ODI at Colombo, SL v AUS, Jun 19 2022 - Match Result

And on that note, it's a wrap from us. If you're a Sri Lankan fan, what a moment to soak in as the side, for the first time in quite some time, seems to have some genuine positive momentum about them. For Australia, this series has thrown several questions at them and their team make-up. Join us again on Tuesday for the pivotal fourth ODI when Sri Lanka will look to wrap up the series, and Australia will no doubt scrap to keep it alive. But until then, for myself, Alex, Gnasher and the team, it's goodbye for now!

SL Captain Dasun Shanaka: "I knew that it was a record chasing this down. It was a very good performance by the two youngsters with the bat, Pathum and Kusal Mendis. I hope they will take the momentum into the next match as well. In the dressing room we were talking about the tempo and awareness, and they delivered. I think there was a little bit of dew, and it made a difference when we were batting. The ball was coming nicely on to the bat. We didn't expect that at the toss, so batting second made a huge difference to the game. It was 1992 the last time we beat Australia in a bilateral ODI series; there one of the best sides in the world and we hope we can take the next step. I think the combination we have is a good one. And lastly I would like to thank the massive crowd that came to support us."

Australian Captain Aaron Finch: "There's quite a bit of dew out here at the moment. The wicket seemed to get a little bit better [in the second innings] it wasn't stopping as much in the surface. But credit to Sri Lanka, that was a great run chase. It was quite clinical from, particularly Nissanka. That was a very classy innings, and we know the quality of the player he is. You could look back at a lot of decisions and wonder what was the right one. We still felt [going with the one legspinner] was the right one on this wicket with how slow it looked, and we thought it would continue to do that. But yeah, it played a bit better under lights. It's a really good learning opportunity for them, to continue to try and bowl to some good players, particularly when there are only four fielders outside the ring - it can be hard to contain."

Pathum Nissanka, to no one's surprise is, Man of the Match: "Yes I'm extremely happy with how I batted. The heat was definitely a problem for both teams, but we handled it. The pitch was a little slow at the start of the innings, but after it set a bit you could score runs on it."

Time for the presentation ceremony now.

Tinura: "@Rohail: Really? Well I think it was their own failure to keep faith in Swepson in a turning track.."

Zeevy: "@Rohail we will never know. They beat the 11 who took the field. They chased 291. No one chases 291. No disrespect, but this was an amazing chase and deserves to be recognized."

Shan: "@Rohail: If Malinga and Vass is still in the side Australia will never score 290 score, lol"

Nida: "@Rohail. Thats a cheap comment. I'm neither Srilankan nor Australian but Srilanka have done very well here. Hazelwood is arguably Aussies best bowler and they handled him well. There's no way you can say they wouldn't have chased this down. Just a cheap comment."

10.22pm Well, what a chase by Sri Lanka - their highest vs Australia and the 4th highest chase by any team in Sri Lanka! A six wicket win in the end, one setup by a maiden ODI ton by Pathum Nissanka, whose 147-ball 137 is also the highest by a Sri Lankan batter against Australia. Aiding him along the way was Kusal Mendis, who is slowly but surely returning to the form that made him such an exciting talent when he broke through. Mendis would be forced to retire hurt with a hamstring-related injury on an 85-ball 87, but before that he and Nissanka had put on 170 for the second wicket - the third highest second-wicket partnership by a Sri Lankan pair in an ODI chase.

At the halfway mark though, with a target of 292 - a record chase at the Khettarama - not even the most optimistic observer would have predicted such a comfortable victory for the hosts. The Aussie innings was put together through a series of of cameos, around the steadying presence of Travis Head, with the likes of Finch, Carey, Labuschagne and Maxwell all pitching in. But the pitch eased up under the lights, and the Aussie spinners struggled to find the same control their Sri Lankan counterparts had so brilliantly illustrated. Jeffrey Vandersay ended with match best figures of 3 for 49, but the day will no doubt belong to Nissanka.

Surath: "This game isn't over yet. 7 runs a lot with 2 new guys at the crease "

Hazlewood has the ball.

7 needed off 12. If Australia can take this to the final over...surely not?

Rohail: "@akshay: no disrespect but you do realize that this is not full strength aussie team in terms of bowling line up, Starc, Cummins and Zampa are missing who are they key wicket takers for Australia. Had they been available, Srilanka would have never managed to chase this total."

Lakwin: "What a composed innings by Nissanka. Mature, calm and architected this chase beautifully. This is what we have lacked for the past so many years and what the likes of DeSilva Jayasuriya and Jayawardena did for us in the past"

Lakwin: "What an innings by Nissanka. Truly world class and the best we've seen from a Sri Lankan for a while. Started slow, and now architected a masterclass chase."

Akshay : "As an Indian, am amazed to see how new Sri Lankan team has come out from shadow of defeats and beating full strength Aussie team. Go Sri Lanka!!!!"

Chants of "Sri Lanka" sweep across the Khettarama.

Chamal harshana: "Pathum breaks Jaysuriyas record to be the highest odi score by a sri lankan against Australia"