Pathum Nissanka’s blazing ton sends Sri Lanka into Super 8, Australia on brink of elimination

NEW DELHI: Opener Pathum Nissanka on Monday turned a challenging chase into a comfortable stroll, smashing a blazing 52-ball 100 to power Sri Lanka to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Australia and book their place in the Super Eights.

Chasing a venue-record 182, Sri Lanka rode on Nissanka’s unbeaten century and Kusal Mendis’s fluent 38-ball 51 to seal the game in 18 overs, leaving Australia’s qualification hopes hanging by a thread.

Pavan Rathnayake stayed unbeaten on 28 from just 15 deliveries.

Nissanka’s breathtaking knock featured 10 fours and five sixes.

FIRST HUNDRED IN T20 WORLD CUP 2026 🔥🔥

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—Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) Fbur 6 06

Australia must now register a huge win over Oman in their final group match and depend on results elsewhere, with both Sri Lanka and Ireland needing to beat Zimbabwe for them to have any outside chance. In fact, if Zimbabwe defeats Ireland on Thursday, Australia will be eliminated even before facing Oman in their last league fixture.

Australia’s flying starts undone

Earlier, skipper Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head hammered explosive half-centuries before Sri Lanka fought back to bowl Australia out for 181.

Returning after missing the first two games due to injury, Marsh made an instant impact with a 54 off 27 balls.

Head matched him stroke for stroke, blasting 56 off 29 deliveries as the pair added 104 runs in under nine overs to set the platform for a 200-plus total.

But Sri Lanka pulled back things superbly in the final 10 overs, with leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha starring with 3 for 37. The last four wickets fell for just six runs.

Calm chase after early jolt

Sri Lanka suffered an early setback in the chase when Kusal Perera mistimed a Marcus Stoinis delivery and sliced ​​it to deep backward point.

The crowd at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium fell silent momentarily, but Nissanka and Mendis responded with a crucial 97-run stand for the second wicket to keep the hosts firmly on course at the halfway mark.

With 89 required off 60 balls and nine wickets in hand, Sri Lanka were well placed to chase down the target.

Stoinis struck again when Mendis picked out the fielder at deep mid-wicket, briefly raising Australian hopes, but Nissanka ensured there would be no late twist.

Powerplay carnage and late collapse

Sri Lanka’s decision to field first initially backfired as Marsh and Head launched a brutal assault, peppering the boundary with fours and sixes.

After their 23-run loss to Zimbabwe, Australia began aggressively, smashing 16 runs off the opening over bowled by Dushmantha Chameera.

Marsh looked in sublime touch, punching crisply through the off-side.

Head flicked Chameera off his pads for a boundary before Marsh pulled him over midwicket for six.

Head followed up with two boundaries off Maheesh Theekshana to maintain the momentum.

Sri Lanka were dealt another blow in the third over when Matheesha Pathirana limped off with a hamstring injury, forcing Dasun Shanaka to complete the over.

Head immediately punished Shanaka with a boundary through point and then launched him over deep square leg for a towering six.

Marsh then hammered Theekshana for five consecutive boundaries as Australia surged to 70 without loss in the powerplay.

Shanaka introduced Hemantha in a bid to stem the flow, but Head welcomed him with a six and a four. Marsh followed up by striking Dunith Wellalage for a boundary and a six in the next over.

Australia’s hundred came via a Marsh six off Hemantha.

However, the innings unraveled dramatically thereafter. From 104 for no loss, Australia slumped to 130 for four and never fully recovered.

Glenn Maxwell scored 22 off 15 balls before Nissanka made amends for an earlier drop with a superb diving catch at point. Josh Inglis, who had survived an early reprieve, made 27 off 22, but Australia finished well short of what once appeared a daunting total.

(With PTI Inputs)