Monday 16 / February / 2026
Pallekele : Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka pulled off a majestic hundred to help his side defeat Australia and qualify for the Super 8 stage in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup on Monday in Pallekele.
While chasing 182, Nissanka made an outstanding 100* off 52 balls, along with Kusal Mendis' fifty and Pavan Rathnayake's 28 off 15 balls to seal the match for Sri Lanka with two overs left.
Australia were able to get an early breakthrough, dismissing opener Kusal Perera on 1 in the second over. It was Marcus Stoinis who got the wicket, making Perera slice tamely at a short of length delivery and a simple catch to deep backward point.
However, the wicket did not slow Sri Lanka down, as the other opener, Nissanka, took charge and, along with No.3 Kusal Mendis, troubled the Australian bowlers with their brilliant strokeplay. Both batters eventually got their half-centuries, keeping Sri Lanka on track.
Stoinis again came to Australia's rescue, breaking the 97-run stand for the second wicket, dismissing Mendis for 51. After Mendis's wicket, Rathnayake and Nissanka added 79 runs off just 34 balls to make it three out of three wins for Sri Lanka in the group stage fixtures.
Nissanka became only the second Sri Lankan batter to slam a hundred in the T20 WC after legendary batter Mahela Jayawardene. Nissanka also smashed the second fastest T20 hundred in terms of balls for Sri Lanka, only behind Kusal Perera, who smashed his century in 44 balls against New Zealand last year.
This is also the first century in T20 World Cups against Australia; the previous highest being Pakistan's Umar Akmal's 94 in Mirpur in 2014.
The chase of 182 is the highest successful run chase for Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cups and also the highest successful run chase against Australia in the T20 World Cups.
First time Sri Lanka have chased 180+ vs a team other than Bangladesh/Zimbabwe in T20Is, and also the second highest by any team in a T20I in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka qualifies for the Super 8 stage; Australia will be eliminated if Zimbabwe beats Ireland on Tuesday.
Earlier in the match, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field against Australia, a game that may well decide the Super Eight prospects of the two teams. After Australia charged out of the blocks, Sri Lanka scripted a superb recovery to hold them to 181.
Mitchell Marsh slotted straight back into the XI after his injury scare and made an instant splash, teaming up with Travis Head to blast Australia to a blistering 70/0 in the powerplay - their strongest start of the tournament so far .
Head, Australia's big-moment specialist, smashed 56 with seven fours and three sixes before falling when Aussies were 104, and the rest of the order could only muster under 80 runs for the final nine wickets.
Sri Lanka's spinners turned the game on its head: leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha forced Head's error and then dismissed his partner Marsh, left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage lured Cameron Green into a stumping by Kusal Mendis, and part-time off-spinner Kamindu Mendis knocked over the dangerous Tim David.
The spin trio's breakthroughs left Australia reeling and sealed Sri Lanka's dominance . While Australia were 105/1 after nine overs, they scored only 31 runs in the next five overs.
After giving Glenn Maxwell a reprieve at 18, Pathum Nissanka held on to an incredible leaping catch as Maxwell attempted a switch hit.
The blazing start gave Australia the impetus for a big total, but their middle order continues to disappoint and could never recover enough to put the pressure back on Sri Lanka.
In bowling, Hemantha led the way with 3/37 while pacer Dushmantha Chameera finished with 2/36.
Brief score: Australia 181/10 in 20 overs (Travis Head 56, Mitchell Marsh 54; Dushan Hemantha 3/37). Vs Sri Lanka 184/2 in 18 overs (Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51; Marcus Stoinis 2/46).
