Sri Lanka produced one of the biggest results of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on February 16 at Pallekele. They chased down a strong Australian total and won by 8 wickets to move closer to qualification.
Australia started strongly with the bat, but a middle order collapse kept the score within reach. Pathum Nissanka then played a memorable innings and guided Sri Lanka home comfortably.
Match Summary

| Team | Score | Overs |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 181 all out | 20 |
| Sri Lanka | 184/2 | 18.0 |
| Result | Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets |
Australia Collapse After Blazing Start
Australia dominated the powerplay. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh added more than 100 runs quickly and looked set for a massive total.
Sri Lanka brought spin into the attack and the game changed. The wickets fell in a cluster and Australia lost all 10 wickets for just 77 runs after the opening stand. They finished on 181, which looked competitive but not match winning. (The Financial Express)
Top Batting Performances
| Batter | Team | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka* | SL | 100* | 52 | 10 | 4 |
| Kusal Mendis | SL | 51 | 38 | 6 | 1 |
| Travis Head | AUS | 56 | 29 | 7 | 3 |
| Mitchell Marsh | AUS | 54 | 27 | 8 | 2 |
Sri Lanka Chase Dominated By Nissanka
Sri Lanka chased calmly despite the big target. Nissanka played a perfect anchor role and punished bad balls. Kusal Mendis supported him with a steady half century.
They added a crucial partnership and removed pressure from the chase. Sri Lanka reached the target with two overs remaining and completed a memorable win.
Top Bowling Performances
| Bowler | Team | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dushan Hemantha | SL | 4 | 37 | 3 | 9.20 |
| Dunith Wellalage | SL | 4 | 33 | 1 | 8.20 |
| Marcus Stoinis | AUS | 4 | 46 | 2 | 11.50 |
Player of the Match: Pathum Nissanka
Pathum Nissanka won Player of the Match for his unbeaten century. He controlled the chase from start to finish and turned a difficult target into a comfortable victory.
The win pushed Sri Lanka toward the next stage while Australia was left needing other results to stay alive in the tournament.
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