Colombo, Feb 12 (UNI) Charith Asalanka's fighting century and Maheesh Theekshana's four-wicket haul scripted a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka as they secured a thrilling 49-run victory against Australia in the first ODI of the two-match series here on Wednesday.
Batting first, Sri Lanka found themselves in dire straits at 55/5 after opting to bat on a tricky surface. Asalanka, leading from the front, anchored the innings brilliantly. He was unbeaten on 50 when Eshan Malinga joined him at 135/8, and from there, the captain took charge.
Managing the strike expertly, he found crucial boundaries and stitched a vital 79-run stand for the ninth wicket, of which he contributed 77. His sensational knock of 127 off 126 balls powered Sri Lanka to a respectable 214 before being bowled out.