Maxwell, Inglis ice run chase after Sri Lankan collapse

Australia's spinners and a second-string pace attack carried the home side to their fourth straight Dettol T20I series victory as Sri Lanka once again flopped with the bat in the penultimate match of their tour.

A crippling collapse of 6-12 in 19 balls wasted another promising hand from opener Pathum Nissanka (46 off 40 balls) as spin duo Ashton Agar (1-14 off four overs) and Adam Zampa (1-26) squeezed the visitors and restricted them to just 8-139 on a true MCG surface.

In the absence of rested trio Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson (2-20) played his first game for Australia since the Adelaide Ashes Test and troubled the tourists with his whippy express pace.

The Aussies stumbled early in their reply but Josh Inglis (40 from 20 balls) continued the impressive start to his international career while Glenn Maxwell (48no from 39) was stellar at his home ground as the Aussies walked home with six wickets in hand and 11 balls to spare.

As has been the case for much of the series, Sri Lanka's bowling gave the hosts enough headaches but their shortfall of runs meant the efforts of Lahiru Kumara (2-22 in his first match of the series) and Maheesh Theekshana (1-20) were in vain.

The absence of star bowler Wanindu Hasaranga due to COVID-19 was keenly felt as Australia got after his replacement leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay (0-43).

With a modest target to chase, Australia made a stuttering start as Agar, again deployed as a makeshift opener, struggled for fluency in his 31-ball 26 while his partner Ben McDermott (9 off 10) popped a simple catch back to the impressive Theekshana.

Roused by the predominantly Sri Lankan crown, a fired-up Kumara bounced out Aaron Finch (2 off 5) and nearly had Maxwell first ball off an inside edge that fell just short of the keeper.

When one of Agar's mis-timed strokes finally found a fielder off Kumara's bowling, Australia were 3-49.

But Inglis was supreme, belting two sixes in a calming hand, as his 71-run fourth-wicket stand with Maxwell put the game beyond doubt.

Inserted by Australia skipper Finch, Nissanka and Kusal Mendis (27 off 21) laid a promising foundation as the tourists surged to 1-76 from their first 10 overs.

Nissanka has been the five-match series' most prolific batter with 171 runs at 42.75 and while his strike-rate of 113.24 appears low at first glance, the young opener has constantly been handicapped by the lack of support from his teammates.

Tonight, it was a clinical Maxwell direct-hit run-out that sparked the Sri Lankan procession.

Running in off the mid-wicket boundary, Maxwell picked up one-handed on the 30-yard circle and rifled his throw into the bowler's end stumps to catch Kusal Mendis well short in his attempt at a second run.

The promising Charith Asalanka (22 off 19) continued his struggles in this series when he skied a slog off Jhye Richardson before Nissanka was stumped off Zampa five balls later.

Kane Richardson (2-44) struck twice in three balls with Dinesh Chandimal and skipper Dasun Shanaka adding just three runs between them, while another run-out – this one courtesy of some sharp work from Finch and keeper Mathew Wade after a horrendous mix-up – summed up Sri Lanka's woes.

Only a 17-run final over coughed up by Kane Richardson, who had some lusty blows struck off him by Chamika Karunaratne (14no off 7), allowed the tourists to post a halfway-decent total.

Australia XI: Ashton Agar, Ben McDermott, Aaron Finch (c), Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Daniel Sams, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa

Sri Lanka XI: Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Dasun Shanaka (c), Chamika Karunaratne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara

Dettol T20 Series v Sri Lanka 2022

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa

Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Ramesh Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Shiran Fernando

Game 1: Australia won by 20 runs (DLS)

Game 2: Australia won in a Super Over

Game 3: Australia won by six wickets

Game 4: Australia won by six wickets

February 20: Fifth T20, MCG, 5.10pm AEDT

All matches broadcast exclusively on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports. Radio coverage by ABC Grandstand, Triple M and SEN