It was a game of momentum swings, from Australia’s early command to Sri Lanka’s fightback, but in the end it was the hosts who booked their place in the Super Eight stage of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Orchestrated by Pathum Nissanka’s elegant, unbeaten century, Sri Lanka hunted down 182 with two overs remaining. The result left the 2021 champions, Australia, staring at the very real possibility of a group-stage exit.
Australia looked set to record a massive total after skipper Mitchell Marsh (54 off 27) and Travis Head (56 off 29) punished the Sri Lankan attack early on. The pair put on 104 runs in just 9 overs, however, the introduction of spin completely changed the dynamic of the game.
Hemantha’s nerve: Leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha (3/37), drafted in for the injured Wanindu Hasaranga, triggered the collapse by dismissing Head and trapping Marsh lbw in quick succession.
Australia's middle order failed to account for the grip on offer. From a position of absolute control, they lost 10 wickets for just 77 runs over the final 70 balls of the innings.
Death overs: Dushmantha Chameera and Maheesh Theekshana restricted the damage at the end, ensuring Australia finished on 181 all out; a total that seemed unlikely 10 overs earlier.
Pathum Nissanka played an innings, relying on timing and placement rather than the raw power typically associated with T20 openers.
Precision pairing: After an early wicket, Nissanka and Kusal Mendis (51 off 38) put on 97 runs for the second wicket, neutralizing the threat of Adam Zampa (0/41).
Milestone: Nissanka reached his second T20I century off just 52 balls, finishing with 10 fours and 5 sixes.
Controlled aggression: Even after Mendis fell, Nissanka remained the anchor, effortlessly clearing the ropes against Nathan Ellis and Marcus Stoinis to seal the eight-wicket win.
With this victory, Sri Lanka becomes the next team to officially qualify for the Super Eight stage. For Australia, the situation is now dire. Having lost to both Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, their fate is out of their hands, and they will likely need a massive result and help from other fixtures to avoid an early flight home.
