Sri Lanks 146 all out from 18 overs. Munaweera 37, Siriwardana 35.

Australia 6/187 from 20 overs. Klinger 62, Finch 53.

Australia win by 41 runs

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ADELAIDE, Wednesday: Leg-spinner Adam Zampa claimed three wickets to bowl Australia to victory and avoid a Twenty20 series wipeout against Sri Lanka in Adelaide on Wednesday.

Man-of-the-match Zampa, who was left out of the previous match as the Sri Lankans won to clinch the three-match series, captured three for 25 at a crucial stage as Australia went on to win by 41 runs.

“It is always nice to bowl the middle overs and it is very easy when you have a start like that,” Zampa said.

“Sri Lanka have very fearless players, sometimes it can be tough to bowl at them.”

Openers Aaron Finch and Michael Klinger hit half-centuries as the Australians, with their leading stars in India for this week’s Test series, set Sri Lanka 188 runs to win.

But the Sri Lankans could not reproduce another of their blazing late innings comebacks where they won the first two T20 games off the last ball.

“I thought we played some fantastic cricket tonight. A complete performance like this makes the last match even more heart-breaking,” skipper Finch said.

“When you have Klinger at the other end, he lets you play your shots. We have been guilty of not converting starts. Today we had two fifties and Dunk and Head chipping in.”

Sri Lanka’s chase was given early impetus by Dilshan Munaweera, who smacked 37 from 25 balls, but from 41 without loss in the fourth over the tourists lost traction and slid to 76 for four in the 10th over.

Zampa claimed the vital wicket of man of the series Asela Gunaratne, leg before wicket for four in the 10th over and the tourists were unable to arouse another of their sensational finishes to beat Australia’s total.

Gunaratne slammed a pulse-racing 84 to power Sri Lanka to a last-ball victory against Australia on Sunday after clubbing 52 off 37 balls in the opening win in Melbourne.

“Beating Australia in home conditions is a tough thing to do. The guys did a good job,” skipper Upul Tharanga said.

“The innings Asela Gunaratne played in the second game in Geelong was amazing.”

James Faulkner also took three wickets with his clever changes of pace to maintain Australia’s advantage.

It was Sri Lanka’s first defeat in six T20 internationals in Australia.

Skipper Finch was dropped by Munaweera before he had scored on the fifth ball of the Australian innings and went on to cash in with 53 off 32 balls with three sixes and five fours.

Klinger proved the mainstay of the innings with 62 from 43 deliveries with six fours and a six.

The opening pair put on 79 runs for the first wicket.

Ben Dunk (28 from 21 balls) and Travis Head (30 from 16) contributed useful knocks to get to 179 for two before a late flurry of wickets cost Australia a chance to top a 200 total. Sri Lanka claimed four wickets for eight off the final 11 deliveries with Lasith Malinga taking two for 35 and Chamara Kapugedera taking three catches in the deep.

Australia’s first aim on Wednesday (February 22) would be to salvage some pride, having already conceded the series with last-ball losses in both earlier games.

Aaron Finch, Australia’s captain for the series, didn’t mince words when he said after losing the first match that his country had underperformed in the format ‘since forever’.

In the absence of several big names including Steve Smith, the regular captain, David Warner and Mitchell Starc, the batsmen of Big Bash League fame have done a fairly good job. Michael Klinger has been steady at the top while Travis Head, Ben Dunk and Moises Henriques have quick runs against their name.

The inexperience, though, is telling in the bowling department as Australia has allowed Sri Lanka to twice chase down competitive totals despite having it in bother at various points. The likes of Andrew Tye and Billy Stanlake have not stepped up, giving the opponent an opening it has barged through. It has also left too much to do for the likes of James Faulkner and Pat Cummins.

Credit, however, should also go to the visitor. Sri Lanka came into the series having been whitewashed 5-0 by South Africa in the one-dayers, but was still high on confidence as it had won the preceding T20I series 2-1.

Sri Lanka now seems to have identified a brand of cricket that’s working wonders for it in the shortest format. What’s most refreshing about its turnaround is the freedom with which its batsmen have operated; irrespective of the situation, Sri Lanka’s batting mantra seems to be attack.

The onslaught in both games has been led by Asela Gunaratne, the latest hero. The right-hand middle-order batsman has twice helped Sri Lanka to victories in tough chases with half-centuries. The second game in particular was an absolute heist, as he helped his side hunt down 174 from 40 for 5 with a stunning, unbeaten 46-ball 84. Now with a maiden Indian Premier League contract in hand, Gunaratne will once look to re-establish his capabilities.

But Sri Lanka hasn’t been a one-man team as Dilshan Munaweera and Chamara Kapugedera have made vital contributions with the bat. It will, however, miss Niroshan Dickwella at the top, the wicketkeeper-batsman having been suspended on Tuesday for two limited-overs matches after showing dissent at the umpire’s decision in the previous game which pushed his cumulative demerit points beyond the minimum four.

The bowling too has been bolstered by Lasith Malinga’s return. Despite not playing for a year, Malinga has showed no signs of rustiness, sending down his famed yorkers with precision. Nuwan Kulasekara too will be on a high, having picked up four wickets in the second T20I.

Australia swept Sri Lanka 2-0 when they faced off in the T20Is in the island nation last year. On Wednesday, Sri Lanka will have an opportunity to return the favour, and even go one better.

Teams (from):

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), Pat Cummins, Ben Dunk, James Faulkner, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Michael Klinger, Tim Paine (wk), Jhye Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga (capt), Vikum Sanjaya, Asela Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dilshan Munaweera, Sachith Pathirana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Dasun Shanaka, Milinda Siriwardana, Isuru Udana.