Cricket commentators had never seen anything like it, as Australia had the Sri Lankan crowd cheering them on at an emotional time.
Australia has beaten Sri Lanka on the last international day of the series, but the result was completely overshadowed by the crazy scenes among the crowd.
In poignant scenes, many Sri Lankan supporters in Colombo wore the yellow of Australia and carried banners thanking tourists for visiting the island nation, which is battling an unprecedented economic crisis.
Finch, in turn, thanked the fans for being “amazing.”
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Finch’s team received a lap of honor as sections of the crowd chanted “Australia”.
Some of the world’s cricket commentators had never seen anything like it.
The atmosphere no doubt lifted the Australian bowling attack that ravaged Sri Lanka to establish a four-port consolation victory. Sri Lanka had already finished the series, but winning the fifth ODI with more than 10 overs remaining in the chase of the race will give Australians a bit of confidence to move forward.
The 45 undefeated goalkeeper and hitter Alex Carey finished the job after the damage was done by the
Australian bowling players.
Australia defeated the hosts by 160, a tricky total at a Colombo bowling alley that tourists reviewed with 10.3 overs left over.
Meanwhile, fast bowling players Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann grabbed two ports each.
Chamika Karunaratne scored a brave 75 for Sri Lanka, who won the five-game series 3-2.
Australia had problems with the 3-19 and then the 4-50 when left-handers Carey and Marnus Labuschagne, who made 31, laid a key base of 51 to start the chase.
Teenage left-handed spinner Dunith Wellalage grabbed three carries, including David Warner, for 10, and Glenn Maxwell, for 16, but left-hander Carey remained calm.
Earlier, Sri Lanka fell to 8-85 against Karunaratne, who improved their previous ODI better by 44 without coming out, and debutant Pramod Madushan put up a stubborn 58th position for the ninth port.
Tourists had quickly discovered Sri Lanka after Hazlewood withdrew the first in five overs and finished with 2-22 figures.
Charith Asalanka was left out for 14 after a misunderstanding with teammate Kusal Mendis, who made 26 but was out of Glenn Maxwell’s goal on the next ball.
Kuhnemann, a left arm spinner, then hit twice in one, including skipper Dasun Shanaka for one, while Sri Lanka fell even further to 8-85.
But Karunaratne struggled when he reached his maiden ODI fifty with a Cummins limit to celebrate with a fist bomb.
Cummins finally came out to Karunaratne, who hit eight quarters and two sixs during his stay, to finish the innings.
In response, Australia lost skipper Aaron Finch, for nothing, to mysterious spinner Maheesh Theekshana and the Warner in shape.
Midfielder Madushan got his first international wicket after sending Mitchell Marsh by 24.
Wellalage, 19, pulled Labuschagne out of lbw to break the grandstand from the fifth portal and then threw Maxwell to raise hopes for another Sri Lankan fight.
But Carey stood firm alongside Cameron Green, who scored 25 undefeated as the pair put together 43 runs to take the team home.
Many Sri Lankan supporters carried gold from Australia and carried banners of thanks to tourists to visit the island nation, which is battling an unprecedented economic crisis.
The hosts bounced back from their first defeat to win three in a row to secure their first ODI Series win against Australia in more than a decade.
The two teams are now heading to Galle for two tests starting June 29th.
—With AFP