Sri Lanka has secured a place in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup 2026 after a stunning eight wicket victory over Australia in Pallekele. The hero of the night was Pathum Nissanka, whose unbeaten century not only chased down a competitive target of 182 but also left Australia staring at a stunning and unexpected group stage exit. The result means Mitchell Marsh and his team are no longer masters of their own destiny, relying on other results to stay alive in the tournament some had tipped them to win.
The chase was a masterclass in controlled aggression. Nissanka was immovable, scoring exactly 100 not out off 52 balls to guide his team home with two overs to spare. He found the perfect ally in Kusal Mendis, who scored a fluent 51. Together they dismantled the Australian attack that looked toothless on a surface that got better for batting under lights. Nissanka struck 10 fours and five sixes, pacing his innings perfectly to ensure the required rate never spiralled out of control. It was the first century of this World Cup and a knock that will be remembered as one of the finest by a Sri Lankan opener on the global stage.
Earlier in the evening, it looked like Australia was on course for a total well in excess of 220. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh launched a savage assault on the Sri Lankan bowlers in the Powerplay. The pair added 104 runs for the first wicket in just 8.3 overs, with both batters registering blistering half centuries. Head smashed 56 off 29 balls while Marsh contributed 54 off 27. At that stage, the hosts looked shell shocked and the crowd was silenced.
However, the introduction of spin changed the game completely. Dushan Hemantha was the catalyst for an extraordinary collapse. The leg spinner removed Head to break the opening stand and then proceeded to rip through the middle order, finishing with figures of 3 for 37. Australia lost their way dramatically, losing all 10 wickets for just 77 runs to be bowled out for 181 on the final ball of the innings. The lack of application from the middle order was glaring, as batter after batter perished trying to clear the ropes instead of consolidating the brilliant start.
The defeat leaves Australia in a precarious position in Group B. They must now hope that Ireland can do them a massive favour by beating Zimbabwe in the next match. If Zimbabwe wins, Australia is out of the T20 World Cup. Speaking after the match, a dejected Mitchell Marsh admitted that the team is devastated. He said they are in the lap of the gods now and will be watching the Zimbabwe versus Ireland game closely, hoping for the luck of the Irish to save their campaign.
For Sri Lanka, the win is a statement of intent. They have played smart, aggressive cricket in their home conditions and have now beaten a tournament heavyweight to top the group. The bowling attack showed great resilience to bounce back from the early onslaught, and the batting looks settled and dangerous. As Australia waits nervously for a lifeline, Sri Lanka can look forward to the next round with confidence and momentum.
