Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka hit the first century of the 2026 T20 World Cup on Monday, advancing his team to the Super Eights and leaving Australia on the brink of elimination.
Sri Lanka defeated Australia by eight wickets after reaching 184-2 with two overs remaining after Nissanka struck 100 not out off 52 balls with five sixes and ten fours in Pallekele.
The 2021 winners would be eliminated if Zimbabwe defeated Sri Lanka on Thursday or Ireland on Tuesday in Group B.
Australia will need to defeat Oman by a significant margin in their final game on Friday in order to advance on net run rate if Zimbabwe loses both. For the second wicket, Nissanka and Kusal Mendis shared a 97-run partnership off 66 balls, with the wicketkeeper-batsman recording his third fifty of the season.
Nissanka etched his name in the record books as the first Sri Lankan to register two centuries in T20 internationals. Following Mendis’ departure, he joined forces with Pavan Rathnayake to stitch together a brisk 76-run stand off just 34 deliveries, steering Sri Lanka comfortably to victory.
Nissanka performed some exquisite flicks against the quicks and some magnificent cover drives off the spinners. After losing badly to England 0-3, Sri Lanka entered the World Cup, but they have since picked up steam and won all three of their matches.
Earlier, despite a solid start for Australia from captain Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, Sri Lanka rallied to bowl out the former champions for 181.
Following their shocking loss to Zimbabwe last week, the Australians were under pressure going into the Group B match. They got off to a strong start, with both openers reaching half-centuries.
The lower order didn’t finish as well as they should have, with the final six wickets falling for just 21 runs in 24 balls, despite Marsh and Head adding 104 off 51 balls for the first wicket.
Australia raced to 70 for no loss in the first six overs of power play, led by Marsh, who appeared strong after missing the first two games due to injury, smashing five consecutive fours off a Maheesh Theekshana over. Head hit his milestone in 27 balls, while Marsh reached his half-century off 25 deliveries.
With the openers at the crease, Australia appeared headed for a huge score, but their dismissals slowed things down as Sri Lanka’s spinners saved the day with astute bowling. The best bowler was the leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha, who finished with 3/37.
After only four deliveries, fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana hobbled off the field with a strained left calf, dealing a devastating blow to the tournament co-hosts. On Tuesday, scans will be performed to evaluate the injury. Wanindu Hasaranga and Eshan Malinga have already been sidelined by injuries for Sri Lanka.
