T20 WC: SL's stunning win jeopardizes Australia's Super 8 hopes
What's the story
Sri Lanka have chased down the 182-run target in Match 30 match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. Pathum Nissanka led the run chase with a stunning hundred, as a fifty from Kusal Mendis complemented him. With this, the Lankans have sealed a Super 8 berth while Australia's hopes have been jeopardized. Here are the key stats.
Australia innings
Australia posted a total of 181/10
The Australian innings was led by captain, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, who both scored fifties. They a formidable opening partnership of 104 runs. However, both fell to Dushan Hemantha after reaching their respective half-centuries. Glenn Maxwell (15-ball 22) and Josh Inglis (27 off 22) were the only other Aussie batters to enter double digits as Australia lost 10 wickets for 77 runs.
Chase
Nissanka's ton leads the run chase
SL were off to a poor start with opener Kusal Perera (1) departing cheaply. However, a 97-run stand between Mendis and Nissanka put the Lankans in command. Nissanka's fearless strokeplay kept the chase under control as Mendis also gathered runs at brilliant pace. The former further added 79 runs with Pavan Rathnayake (15-ball 28*) as SL (184/2) prevailed in 18 overs.
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A record powerplay for Australia
As per Cricbuzz, Australia recorded the fourth-highest powerplay score in the ongoing edition (70/0). This is also the joint-highest powerplay score versus Sri Lanka in T20 World Cups. For Australia, it was the third-best powerplay in T20 WCs.
Head
Sixth T20I fifty for Head
Head hit seven fours and three sixes en route to his 29-ball 56. It was his first 50 in 13 T20I innings, and overall the sixth in the format. Head's latest efforts take him to a tally of 1,303 T20I runs at 28.32. Three of his fifties have come in T20 WCs. His tally in the tourney now reads 334 runs at 37.11.
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4,500 T20 runs for Head
With his 36th run, Head went past 4,500 runs in the T20 format. Playing his 173rd match, the batter has completed 4,520 runs at an average of 30.13. This was his 27th fifty. He owns two tons.
Marsh
Third T20 WC fifty for Marsh as well
Marsh, playing his first match in the tourney, departed for 54 off 27 balls, a knock laced with eight fours and two sixes. This was his third T20 WC fifty. Marsh has completed 500 runs in the tournament at an average of 31.25. Overall, in T20Is, the Aussie skipper has raced to 2,156 runs from 84 games at 32.66.
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6,000 T20 runs loading for Marsh
Marsh is also closing in on 6,000 T20 runs. Across 232 games, the right-handed dasher has racked up 5,939 runs at an average of 32.99. His strike rate in the format goes past 137 (100s: 4, 50s: 36).
Hemantha
Hemantha's three-fer triggers Australia's batting collapse
Hemantha finished his four-over spell with figures worth 3/37. This spell took the leg-spinner's tally to eight wickets from five T20Is at 21.37 (ER: 8.84). Overall, in the 20-over-format, he now has 86 scalps from 84 games at an average of 16-plus. He also has nearly 900 runs in the format as the tally includes a couple of fifties as well.
Other SL bowlers
Sri Lankan spinners turn the match around
Other SL spinners, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, and Kamindu Mendis, also delivered vital spells. Wellalage took a wicket while going for 33 runs in his four overs. Kamindu bowled two overs to register 1/19. Theekshana also took a wicket (1/37 in 4 overs). Besides Hemantha, pacer Dushmantha Chameera was the only other SL bowler with multiple wickets (2/36 in 4 overs).
Nissanka
Nissanka becomes second Sri Lankan with T20 WC hundred
Nissanka's unbeaten 100 runs off 52 balls was laced with 10 fours and five sixes. With his 26th run, the batter became the second Sri Lankan to complete 2,500 runs in T20I cricket. He has now completed 2,574 runs at 31.77. Notably, the 27-year-old also became the first batter from his country to hammer multiple T20I tons (50s: 18).
Milestone
First-ever hundred against Australia in T20 World Cup
Nissanka's scored the first-ever hundred scored against Australia in a T20 World Cup match. Meanwhile, Nissanka became only the second Sri Lankan to score a T20 WC hundred. He joined Mahela Jayawardene, who had scored exactly 100 against Zimbabwe in the 2010 edition of this tournament. Having taken 52 balls, Nissanka hit the third-fastest T20I hundred by a SL batter.
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Over 4,500 T20 runs for Nissanka
Nissanka also went past 4,500 runs in T20 cricket during his stay. He has now completed 4,539 runs from 163 games at an average of 29.86. This was his third hundred as he also has 32 fifties. His strike rate reads 132.1.