Pathum Nissanka smashes brilliant century as Sri Lanka beat Australia in third ODI

Home side win by six wickets to take 2-1 lead in five-match series

Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka celebrates his century in the third ODI against Australia at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on June 19, 2022. Getty

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka hits out on his way to 137 off 147 balls that helped his team beat Australia by six wickets. AFP

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis celebrates after his half-century during the third ODI. AFP

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis finished with 87 off 85 balls. AFP

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis dives to make his ground. AP

Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka smashes a boundary in the third ODI match against Australia at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka on June 19, 2022. Getty

Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka cuts against Australia. Getty

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka plays a shot. AFP

Australia's Travis Head plays a shot during the third one-day international against Sri Lanka. AFP

Australia's Travis Head celebrates scoring a half-century on his way to 70 not out. AFP

Sri Lanka's Jeffrey Vandersay dives in the field. AFP

Travis Head of Australia hits the boundary that took him to a half century. Getty

Dunith Wellalage of Sri Lanka, right, celebrates after taking a catch to dismiss Australia's Glenn Maxwell. Getty

Australia's Alex Carey walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal LBW for 49. AFP

Sri Lanka's Jeffrey Vandersay, second left, is congratulated by captain Dasun Shanaka for the dismissal of Australia's Glenn Maxwell. AP

Australia's Glenn Maxwell on his way to a score of 33. AP

Australia's Alex Carey. AFP

Australian captain Aaron Finch after being dismissed off the bowling of Jeffrey Vandersay for 62, AFP

Sri Lanka's Jeffrey Vandersay, right, celebrates after taking the wicket of Australia's captain Aaron Finch. AFP

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne reacts after stumped. AP

Pathum Nissanka cracked a brilliant 137 while Kusal Mendis scored a half-century as Sri Lanka beat Australia by six wickets in the third one-day international on Sunday to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Chasing 292 to win, Sri Lanka shook off the early dismissal of Niroshan Dickwella for 25 as Nissanka and Mendis combined for a brilliant 170-run partnership for the second wicket to put their side in complete control.

But while Mendis retired hurt with a hamstring injury on 87, Nissanka hung on to take his team close to the finish line, which they crossed with nine balls to spare after to a quick-fire 25 by Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka's steady 13.

Nissanka's knock came off 147 deliveries and contained 11 fours and two sixes.

Australia opted to bat first after winning the toss and an unbeaten 70 from Travis Head and 62 from skipper Aaron Finch helped them to a competitive 291-6 on a tricky Colombo wicket that was slow and offered the spin bowlers some turn.

Head and Alex Carey (49) combined superbly during their 72-run partnership after Australia found themselves in a difficult position at 121-4, before Glenn Maxwell smashed 33 off 18 balls in a strong finish to the innings.

Jeffrey Vandersay was the pick of the bowlers claiming 3-49 for Sri Lanka, who dropped four catches, while Head was lucky to survive a big appeal for leg-before when he was on four as the hosts did not review the umpire's decision.