Sri Lanka, who are co-hosting the tournament, put on a powerful performance to beat Australia by eight wickets and book their spot in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup. After Zimbabwe had already surprised everyone in the group, Sri Lanka delivered their own big statement.
The win was driven by a brilliant century from Pathum Nissanka, who became the first player to score a hundred in this year’s tournament. The opener attacked the Australian bowlers confidently and kept the run chase under control from start to finish.
When he reached his hundred, Nissanka celebrated with a “shush” gesture that quickly grabbed attention. His knock even had Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya cheering loudly in the crowd.
This win meant a lot for Sri Lanka. It was their first victory over Australia in almost three years, eight months and five days. On an important night at home, Sri Lanka showed the world that they are still a strong force in international cricket.
Spin Power Helps Sri Lanka Down Australia
Sri Lanka’s spinners set up the win by changing the course of the match after Australia had started strongly. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head put together a 100-run partnership and seemed ready to take their team to a very big total.
𝐍𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 😌
Pathum Nissanka defies gravity with an absolute screamer to dismiss Maxwell! 🤯
ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | #SLvAUS | LIVE NOW ➡️https://t.co/J53l5oud0B pic.twitter.com/n7nMhQvtiZ
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 16, 2026
But once the spinners came on to bowl, the game changed. Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage and Kamindu Mendis picked up important wickets, and leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha had the biggest impact of all. The Australian batters found it hard to handle the turning ball and lost control during the middle overs as Sri Lanka slowly tightened their grip on the match.
Australia, who usually do well in ICC tournaments, are now in a tricky situation. Their chances of reaching the Super 8 are no longer fully in their control. They need to beat Oman by a big margin and also hope that Zimbabwe do not reach six points from their remaining games.
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