T20 World Cup: Sublime Pathum Nissanka help Sri Lanka defeat Australia and seal place in Super Eight round
February 16, 2026 10:20 pm
Opener Pathum Nissanka scored a sublime 52-ball 100 to help Sri Lanka defeat Australia by 8 wickets and seal a place in the Super Eight round of the 2026 T20 World Cup at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
Chasing a mammoth 182-run target, Sri Lanka crossed the line with two overs to spare.
Nissanka smashed 10 fours and five sixes bring up his second T20I century.
He was ably supported by Kusal Mendis who scored 51 off 38 deliveries.
Pavan Ratnayake remained unbeaten on 28 off 15 balls.
Kusal Janith Perera who came into the playing XI in place of Kamil Mishara managed just 1 in three deliveries.
For Australia, Marcus Stoinis picked up 2/46.
2021 T20 World Cup winners Australia will now need to win by a massive margin against Oman in their final match and rely on both Sri Lanka and Ireland to beat Zimbabwe to have any sort of outside chance to qualify for the Super Eights.
If Zimbabwe manage to beat Ireland today, then Australia will be knocked out even before meeting Oman in their last group league game.
Earlier, skipper Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head hit explosive fifties before Sri Lanka rallied to bowl out Australia for 181 in 20 overs.
Returning to the playing XI after missing the team’s first two matches of the tournament due to an injury, opener Marsh got into the act straightaway, clobbering 54 in 27 balls.
Head was equally brutal during his 29-ball 56, as the opening duo added 104 runs in less than nine overs to set Australia up for a 200-plus total.
But the Sri Lankans did much better in the back 10, after leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha picked up 3/37 in his 4 overs.
Pacer Dushmantha Chameera picked up 2/36.
