Pathum Nissanka’s unbeaten century helped Sri Lanka beat Australia by eight wickets and reach the Super Eights at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Australia’s hopes of progressing in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup are in serious trouble after their defeat to Sri Lanka. The 2021 champions now face a difficult path to reach the Super Eights stage.
Sri Lanka chased down a target of 182 with ease on Monday. They won by eight wickets with two overs to spare at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
Pathum Nissanka was the star of the show. The Sri Lankan opener scored an unbeaten 100 off just 52 balls. His century powered Sri Lanka into the Super Eights with three straight wins in Group B.
Australia now sit third in the group. They must rely on other results to stay in the tournament. A loss for Zimbabwe or a big win by Australia in their final match could still keep them alive.
Sri Lanka’s chase looked comfortable thanks to Nissanka’s knock. The opener hit 10 fours and five sixes during his century. He also forged a big partnership with Kusal Mendis, who scored 51.
Sri Lanka finished on 184‑2 in 18 overs. Pavan Rathnayake remained unbeaten on 28 and saw his team to the finish line.
Nissanka’s 100 was not only the first century of the 2026 T20 World Cup but also the first by a Sri Lankan batter against Australia in the competition’s history.
The chase marked Sri Lanka’s highest successful T20 World Cup chase on home soil. It also set their best record against Australia in the tournament’s history.
Australia had looked strong early on. Captain Mitchell Marsh (54 off 27) and Travis Head (56 off 29) put together a rapid opening stand of 104 runs inside eight overs.
However, the middle order could not build on that platform. Australia finished on 181 all out after losing momentum.
Sri Lankan bowlers, led by Dushan Hemantha (3‑37), kept the pressure on the Aussies throughout the innings.
Australia’s bowling attack struggled in the chase. They took just two wickets and could not contain Sri Lanka’s huge hitting.
The loss leaves Australia’s T20 World Cup queue in doubt. They now need other results to go their way to qualify for the Super Eights.
Australia must beat Oman convincingly in their final group game to improve their net run rate. Even then, they need Zimbabwe to lose their remaining matches for a chance to progress.
If Zimbabwe defeat Ireland in their next match, Australia could be eliminated before their last fixture. This would mark one of the earliest exits for the former champions in tournament history.
Captain Marsh admitted the team had not performed to their best. He said emotions were high and disappointment was clear after the loss.
Sri Lanka now lead Group B with three wins from three matches. They will join England in Super Eight Group 2.
Their strong start to the tournament has surprised some critics. After a heavy defeat to England earlier, Sri Lanka has won convincingly in their last three outings.
Captain Dasun Shanaka praised his batsmen and bowlers after the match. He said confidence within the squad is high and momentum is on their side.
Nissanka’s performance in this match will be remembered as one of the great T20 World Cup innings, thanks to his aggressive batting and tactical awareness under pressure.
