Scintillating Nissanka ton puts Australia on the brink of elimination

A scintillating hundred from Pathum Nissanka—the first of this T20 World Cup—catapulted Sri Lanka to a big win over Australia in Pallekele. The result sends the co-hosts into the Super Eights with their third straight win, while leaving Australia's fate out of their hands after two losses.

Chasing 182, Nissanka made his intentions clear with a pick-up six over fine leg in the very first over. Kusal Perera fell early, but Nissanka flayed the Australian bowlers all around the park with eye-catching strokes. Kusal Mendis gave him good company as Sri Lanka raced to 61/1 in the PowerPlay.

Mendis soon matched his partner, with Australia's spinners bowling too quick and way off the mark. Both batters raised half-centuries, and the signs were ominous for Australia. Marcus Stoinis broke the 97-run partnership, but Pavan Rathnayake began with successive boundaries, ensuring momentum never dropped.

With 61 needed off the last six overs, Nissanka pressed the accelerator, pulverising Stoinis in a 20-run over as the contest pivoted Sri Lanka's way. Rathnayake survived two stumping chances, but the night belonged to Nissanka. He shut the door on Australia with two stunning sixes off Nathan Ellis, backing away to slash over third man before walking across to scoop over fine leg.

He unleashed his full repertoire of strokes, raising his second T20I hundred to rapturous cheers from the Pallekele crowd. Rathnayake then finished the job with a boundary as Sri Lanka romped home with two overs to spare.

Earlier, Mitchell Marsh reunited with Travis Head at the top after Australia were sent into bat. A 16-run opening over set the tone. Sri Lanka suffered a blow as Matheesha Pathirana limped off with a suspected left hamstring injury in his first over. Marsh and Head went on a boundary-hitting spree, raising a fifty-plus stand before Marsh smashed Maheesh Theekshana for five consecutive boundaries in the final over of the PowerPlay—a phase in which Australia whipped up 70 runs.

Dushan Hemantha and Dunith Wellalage bore the brunt of the Head-Marsh show. Head reached a 27-ball fifty before raising Australia's hundred with a booming slog sweep. But after Hemantha bowled one wide, Head holed out to long off, ending a 104-run partnership.

At that stage, Australia eyed an imposing score. Instead, things took a nosedive dramatically.

Cameron Green walked past a Wellalage delivery and was stumped, while Hemantha trapped Marsh lbw after a successful DRS call shortly after the Aussie skipper reached his half-century. Hemantha should have had Josh Inglis next ball, but Kusal Mendis missed a straightforward stumping. Sri Lanka's spinners chipped away as Tim David miscued a skier to long off.

Regular wickets corresponded with a dip in scoring, though Glenn Maxwell broke free to hit a couple of boundaries. Inglis played a decent hand, but Pathum Nissanka pulled off a spectacular leaping catch at backward point to dismiss Maxwell. Shortly after, Inglis was bounced out by Dushmantha Chameera.

Theekshana then turned in a masterful two-run 19th over, removing Cooper Connolly while nailing his yorkers at will. Pathirana did not return, but Chameera sent down a phenomenal final over, featuring a stunner from Theekshana at short third and a couple of run outs as Australia were bundled out for 181.

Brief Scores:
Australia 181 all out in 20 overs (Travis Head 56, Mitchell Marsh 54; Dushan Hemantha 3-37, Dushmantha Chameera 2-36) lost to Sri Lanka 184/2 in 18 overs (Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51; Marcus Stoinis 2-46) by 8 wickets.