(REUTERS) – Australia beat Sri Lanka by 41 runs in their final Twenty20 game yesterday, avoiding a whitewash in the three-match series and salvaging some pride.Australia got off to a flier courtesy of captain and opening batsman Aaron Finch’s 53 runs off 32 balls. His partner Michael Klinger scored a controlled 62 runs off 43 balls to help take the hosts to a total of 187.
Sri Lanka began impressively but wickets tumbled as they struggled to cope with leg-spinner Adam Zampa, losing five wickets, including that of in-form all-rounder Asela Gunaratne, between the eighth and 12th overs.
Zampa and medium pacer James Faulkner picked up three wickets each. Australia were fielding a below full-strength side with their Test squad currently in India.
Gunaratne was named man-of-the-series after scoring half-centuries in the first two matches.