Nissanka’s 100 Seals Sri Lanka's Super Eights win over Australia
Nissanka’s 100 Seals Sri Lanka's Super Eights win over Australia
Pathum Nissanka fires an unbeaten 100 as Sri Lanka chase 181 to beat Australia by eight wickets and seal a spot in the Super Eights at the T20 World Cup.
Pathum Nissanka produced a masterclass, hammering an unbeaten 100 off 52 balls to power Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win over Australia and secure a Super Eights berth in the T20 World Cup at the Pallekele International Stadium. With Kusal Mendis contributing 51 off 38, Sri Lanka chased down 181 inside 18 overs, leaving Australia staring at an uncertain path to the knockout rounds. The merry mood in the Sri Lankan camp was palpable as the openers set a fearless tone from the start, finding boundaries with ease and transforming what could have been a tense chase into a celebratory run-chase.
"One of the best performances in recent past. Happy about the way first innings went," said captain Dasun Shanaka at the presentation. He highlighted the squad’s resilience after the match started with a setback: pacer Pathirana left the attack with a hamstring issue in his first over, yet the team remained positive and surged to victory. "We were still very positive after losing Pathirana. Had the confidence. Knew about the wicket as well. Each and everyone showed high body language. Everybody wanted to contribute somehow. Missing Hasaranga and now Pathirana is a big miss. Need to take the good things from here," he added.
Nissanka, after laying a foundation in the powerplay, praised the pitch at the venue. "The wicket was pretty good today and I played my normal game. I am happy that I was able to get a hundred and get the team home. We needed a good power play. We got a good partnership with Kusal Mendis. And we managed to chase it down in the end with calm and purpose," he said.
The win underscores Sri Lanka’s growing confidence as they enter the Super Eights with momentum and a clear sense of purpose. Shanaka stressed the importance of maintaining belief even when key bowlers are unavailable and urged the team to carry the crowd’s energy into the next round. Australia, meanwhile, face a crucial regrouping phase as they look to salvage qualification, with their fate increasingly dependent on outcomes in other matches. Sri Lanka’s triumph at Pallekele is a reminder of the volatility and drama that defines this tournament, where a single standout innings can shift momentum and alter the arc of the title race.
