Sri Lanka defeated Australia in T-20 World Cup after 17 years, made place in Super-8

Updated: 16-02-2026, 06.45 PM

What is the news?

In the 32nd match of T-20 World Cup 2026, Sri Lanka cricket team registered its third win by defeating Australia cricket team by 8 wickets. Australia, batting first, scored 181 runs after losing all the wickets, which included half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh (54) and Travis Head (56). In reply, the Sri Lankan team achieved the target in 18 overs thanks to Pathum Nissanka’s century (100*). Let’s take a look at the records made in the match.

Statement of account

In this way the match was interesting

The pair of Marsh and Head made a century partnership for Australia. After a good start, Australia’s other batsmen disappointed. Josh Inglis (27) and Glenn Maxwell (22) also could not play big innings in the middle order. Sri Lankan bowlers did not allow Australia to score 200 runs by bowling economically in the last overs. In reply, Kusal Mendis scored a half-century (51). After this, Nissanka won by playing a century. Pawan Rathnayake scored 28 not out.

Head scored his sixth half-century in T-20 International

Head expressed his intentions by hitting two consecutive fours against Mahesh Tikshana who came to bowl the second over of the innings. He completed his half-century in 27 balls, thrashing the Sri Lankan bowlers at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium. He was out after scoring 56 runs in 29 balls. In his half-century innings, he hit 7 fours and 3 sixes. In his T20 International career, he has scored 1,303 runs at an average of 28.32.

Head made this unwanted record

Head finally scored 50+ runs in T20 International after 13 innings (2024-26). The unwanted record of playing most innings without scoring a half-century as an Australian opening batsman was held in the name of Adam Gilchrist (13 innings, 2005-08). Now Head has equaled this record of Gilchrist. Let us tell you that the other batsmen in this list are Aaron Finch, Matthew Wade, and Matthew Short. He had scored 50+ runs after a gap of 11-11 innings.

Marsh scored his first half-century against Sri Lanka

Australian captain Marsh looked in good form. He hit 5 consecutive fours in the over of Mahesh Teekshana who came to bowl the sixth over of the innings. Batting in his familiar style, he completed his half-century in 25 balls. He was out after scoring 54 runs in 27 balls with a strike rate of 200. In his innings he hit 8 fours and 2 sixes. His innings was ended by Dushan Hemantha.

Marsh and Head made these records together

This is only the second such occasion when both Australia’s opening batsmen played innings of 50+ runs. Before this, the pair of David Warner and Shane Watson had achieved this feat twice (in 2010 and 2012). Marsh along with Head made a partnership of 104 runs for the first wicket. With this, this T20 World Cup proved to be the 5th century partnership for Australia.

Nissanka scored a century, became player of the match

Chasing the target, Sri Lanka got its first blow early in the form of Kusal Perera (1). Despite this, Nissanka scored runs continuously from one end. He got good support from Kusal Mendis from the other end. He along with Kusal Mendis made a useful partnership of 97 runs. Nissanka played an unbeaten inning of 100 runs in 52 balls, which included 10 fours and 5 sixes. He was chosen player of the match.

Nissanka became the second Sri Lankan to score a century after Jayawardene.

Nissanka became only the second batsman to score a century for Sri Lanka in the history of T20 World Cup. Before him, Mahela Jayawardene had played an inning of 100 runs against Zimbabwe in 2010. This is the first century of any batsman in the T20 Cup against Australia. Earlier, the highest inning against the Kangaroo team was played by Pakistan’s Omar Akmal of 94 runs (in 2014).

Kusal Mendis scored his third consecutive half-century

Kusal Mendis continued his excellent form and scored a half-century. He was out after scoring 51 runs in 38 balls with the help of 6 fours and a six. This was his third consecutive half-century in the current T20 World Cup edition. He scored 168 runs in 3 innings at an average of 84.00 and strike rate of 133.33. He is currently the highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup 2026.

Mark sheet

Sri Lanka made place in Super-8

The Sri Lankan team present in Group-B entered the Super-8 by winning all its three matches. Zimbabwe cricket team is present at the second position. The team captained by Sikandar Raza is currently at the second position. At the same time, Australia has won one match and lost 2. If the Zimbabwe team defeats the Ireland cricket team on 17 February, they will enter the Super-8 and Australia’s journey will end.

Sri Lanka defeated Australia in T-20 World Cup after 2009

Sri Lanka has succeeded in defeating Australia in the T20 World Cup after a gap of one and a half decade. Earlier, the Sri Lankan team had defeated Australia by 6 wickets in the T-20 World Cup 2009.