Out-of-favour all-rounder Glenn Maxwell took centre stage as Australia blasted the highest-ever Twenty20 international score of 263 for three in a 85-run win over Sri Lanka in Pallekele
Australia's Glenn Maxwell plays a shot during the first T20 international against Sri Lanka in Pallekele yesterday. Pic/AFP
Pallekele: Out-of-favour all-rounder Glenn Maxwell took centre stage as Australia blasted the highest-ever Twenty20 international score of 263 for three in a 85-run win over Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Australia's Glenn Maxwell plays a shot during the first T20 international against Sri Lanka in Pallekele yesterday. Pic/AFP
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Maxwell blasted an unbeaten 145 from 65 balls just a day after he was overlooked for Australia's upcoming one-day international tour of South Africa.
The mercurial 27-year-old was playing his first game on tour, and was only drafted into the opener's role after Aaron Finch suffered a broken finger during the recently-concluded one-day series.
The Australian opener made the most of his chance, piling up nine sixes, as he narrowly fell short of his former housemate Finch's individual record score of 156, scored against England at the Ageas Bowl three years ago.
Travis Head weighed in with 45 from 18 balls as he and Maxwell put on 109 from 40 balls. Australia's record total came just over a week after England racked up the highest one-day international score of 444 for three against Pakistan at Trent Bridge. Sri Lanka had held both records.
Captain Dinesh Chandimal's 58 was the top score of Sri Lanka's reply as they managed 178 for nine.
The defeat was Sri Lanka's heaviest in Twenty20 cricket in terms of runs, beating the 81-run defeat they suffered when they last lost to Australia in the format six years ago.
Brief scores
Australia 263-3 in 20 overs (G Maxwell 145*, T Head 45) beat Sri Lanka 178-9 in 20 overs (D Chandimal 58; Mâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Starc 3-26, S Boland 3-26) by 85 runs
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