Australia vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I Match Summary

That's it from us for today. Hope you enjoyed this game as much as we did to bring it to you. The action now shifts to Victoria. Can the Sri Lankans win their second consecutive T20I series or will Australia bounce back? Do join us on February 19 at 1920 Local time (0820 GMT). Good bye. Take care!

Sri Lanka skipper, Upul Tharanga firstly wants to thank the Sri Lankan supporters in Colombo. Adds that they were quite supportive through the series in South Africa and also acknowledges the support in Melbourne. States that it's a good feeling to beat Australia on their home turf and credits his boys for the kind of performance they put in. Realizes that fielding is one department they really need to improve on and it's something they need to improve on.

Australia skipper, Aaron Finch credits the Sri Lankans for a good outing. Says that even Australia batted brilliantly. He praises Turner for removing both set batsmen in the 18th over. Admits that 18 off 18 was not easy to defend but he gave them a chance. He also agrees that they couldn't build on the start they got and should've got a couple of more 15-run overs. Ends his talk by saying that they haven't performed as they would have liked in this format of the game and that is something they can improve.

Asela Gunaratne has been named the Man of the Match for a brisk and scintillating fifty, which was his first in this format. He was the highest scorer for the Islanders and he just took the game away from Australia.

Earlier in the day, Australia managed to power past a score of 160 as the top ordered fired and fired well. If only their middle order could captialize on that and add a few more runs, things might have been different for them.

Australia didn't really bowl well. They could have done better but the captaincy from Aaron Finch didn't help either. The hosts were battered for runs at the start and hit all over. Ashton Turner brought them back in the game by picking up two wickets in a single over, but that wasn't enough. His spin partner Adam Zampa bowled well but there wasn't enough support from the rest.

Gunaratne and Siriwardana then carried on and built on that platform, adding 60 runs and getting their team closer. But the former played a reckless shot which saw him and his partner depart within no time. It all went right down to the last ball of the innings, but some sensible batting from Kapugedera and Prasanna towards the end ensured that Sri Lanka got through and nicked the victory.

A thrilling finish to the game as Sri Lanka have managed to get themselves across the finish line. Although, it can be argued that they should have done it rather comfortably instead of dragging it to the last delivery. With 169 to chase, the Lankans lost their skipper in the very first over but Dickwella and Munaweera started the onslaught from there. They stitched a quickfire 74-run partnership that more or less set the platform for the away team.

FOUR! YES HE CAN! Kapugedera slaps this through covers and find the boundary. What a way to win this thriller. The Sri Lankan fans have thoroughly enjoyed this match. Certainly so, they couldn't have asked for anything better. It was necessary to be calm in this pressure situation and Kapugedera held his nerves on the last ball. Coming back to delivery, it was a full ball, outside off, which Kapugedera drove through sweeper cover to ensure that SRI LANKA WIN THIS MATCH BY 5 WICKETS AND LEAD THE 3-MATCH SERIES 1-0!

The keeper is right up to the stumps. Everybody has creeped in, circling the batsman, wanting to save the run. Are we in for a Super Over? Or can Kapugedera finish it off?

Nail biting stuff! Kapugedera pulls this short delivery through square leg and sets off immediately. He has two runs on his mind and forces Prasanna to come for it. Deep square leg throws it wide and they complete it easily. Two runs added to the total! 1 run needed off 1!

Length ball, slower one, Prasanna tries to pull but misses and it hits his inside edge and goes towards the off side. They run through.

Length ball, around middle and leg, Kapugedera pulls it through fine leg and runs one.

NOT OUT! Short of a length delivery, outside off, Prasanna attempts a similar shot but only connects thin air. But this time around, Kapugedera asks him to come for a single. Paine's underarm throw misses the striker's end and goes towards Tye who has a shy at non striker's end. Australia think they have got their man. But replays suggest Prasanna has made his ground.

A run out appeal against Seekkuge Prasanna is taken upstairs. Looked like he's safe in real time. We'll know for sure now though...

Back of a length delivery, outside off, Prasanna pulls blindly and misses. Dot ball. 6 needed off 5.

Andrew Tye to bowl the final over. He has 6 runs to defend. Can he do it for his team?

Leg bye! A half hearted appeal as Prasanna gets rapped on the pads in front of the sticks, but the umpire turns it down. They run a leg bye. Six runs needed off the last over.

Length delivery, outside off, cuts it through covers and rotates the strike. One run added to the total!

Another slower delivery, outside off, Kapugedera looks to cut but fails to connect.

Slower one, on the sticks, Prasanna flicks it very calmly to backward square leg and runs one.

WIDE! Faulkner sprays this one way outside off and umpire calls it a wide.

Back of a length delivery, around middle, Kapugedera pulls it in front of square for a single.

Full delivery, outside off, Prasanna looks to cut but gets the inside edge and ball falls on the pitch itself. They steal a single. Paine runs in to effect a run out but the batsmen were very fast there to complete the run.

James Faulkner is back.

Punched off the back foot by the batsman. The batsmen have run through for a single.

FOUR! Beautiful stroke. Tosses this one outside off, Prasanna cuts this through point, the sweeper cover gives it a chase, even dives but the ball beats him and goes for a boundary.

Prasanna looks to cut but misses. Paine is interested in caught behind, but the umpire turns it down.

Seekkuge Prasanna is the new batsman in. 17 runs are needed to win off 15 deliveries.

OUT! That is a very, very strange decision and certainly controversial. Sprays this down the leg side, Siriwardana looks to tuck it through leg side but misses and gets rapped on the pads. The umpire signals him out instantly. And in no time, Australia have sent back both the set batsmen. Do we have a twist in tale here? Replays suggest that it was missing the leg stump.