Sri Lanka’s opener Pathum Nissanka starred with an unbeaten century to lead his team to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over defending champions Australia in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, leaving the Aussies facing a possible early exit.
Nissanka scored 100 not out off 52 balls, hitting five sixes and 10 fours, as Sri Lanka chased Australia’s 181, finishing at 184-2 with two overs to spare at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. His innings featured a 97-run second-wicket partnership with Kusal Mendis, who posted his third fifty of the tournament.
Nissanka became the first Sri Lankan to score two T20 international centuries. After Mendis’s dismissal, Nissanka combined with Pavan Rathnayake for a 76-run stand to take Sri Lanka over the line. Rathnayake hit the winning runs immediately after Nissanka reached his century, with the crowd erupting in celebration.
Australia’s campaign, disrupted by injuries, had started brightly with captain Mitchell Marsh scoring 54 and forming a 104-run opening stand with Travis Head (56). However, their innings slowed, and Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha (3-37), restricted Australia to 181. The Australians then collapsed in pursuit of quick runs, losing their last six wickets for 21 runs in 24 balls.
With this win, Sri Lanka confirmed their place in the Super Eights, while Australia now faces a precarious path to qualification. They will need other results to go their way, including potential losses by Zimbabwe, to advance. A failure to progress would mark the first time Australia has been eliminated in the group stage since 2009.
Elsewhere in the tournament, England reached the Super Eights after a recovery against Italy, and Afghanistan registered a win over the UAE, allowing South Africa to secure a place in the next stage.
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