Kandy, Feb 16 (NationPress) Opener Pathum Nissanka made history by becoming just the second Sri Lankan player to achieve a century in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The co-hosts triumphed over Australia by eight wickets during the 30th match, successfully chasing their highest T20 total at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy on Monday.

Nissanka remained not out at 100, off just 52 balls, while Pavan Rathnayake scored the winning run, securing a spot in the Super 8s for the co-hosts.

The chase for 182 began poorly for the co-hosts, with Kusal Perera falling to Marcus Stoinis in the second over.

Despite this early setback, Nissanka and Kusal Mendis retaliated forcefully, accumulating runs and putting pressure on Australia. By the end of the Power-play, they had amassed 61 runs for the first wicket, marking their third-highest Power-play total against Australia in T20Is.

Runs continued to flow, as Sri Lanka kept the Australian side under pressure during a record-breaking Power-play phase, which set the combined total for both teams at 131—the highest in T20 World Cup history.

A key to this triumph was a remarkable second-wicket partnership between Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, who established an unbeaten 87-run stand, the highest for Sri Lanka against Australia in T20Is. Their fluid play helped maintain momentum for the hosts as the chase accelerated.

Earlier, sent in to bat first, skipper Mitchell Marsh, returning from injury, along with opener Travis Head, formed a solid opening partnership of 104 runs off 52 balls. Australia recorded their fourth-highest Powerplay total in T20 World Cup history, scoring 70/0 in the initial six overs.

Marsh (54) and Head (56) displayed aggressive power-hitting, putting pressure on the co-hosts, including a 20-run sixth over. This aggressive play illuminated Pallekele but left Sri Lanka in a tough spot, with Matheesha Pathirana leaving the field due to a left leg injury.

Head, the aggressor, reached his fifty in 27 deliveries but soon lost his wicket to Dushan Hemantha, attempting a maximum. Marsh continued his onslaught, reaching fifty in 25 deliveries before falling to Hemantha, who also dismissed Cameron Green for just 3 runs.

Sri Lankan spinners played a crucial role, with Hemantha, Dunith Wellalage, and Kamindu Mendis dismissing the threat of Tim David (6) with a well-placed delivery. The turning point came as the hosts applied steady pressure with spin bowling, causing Australia to crumble towards the end, losing their last eight wickets for just 72 runs.

Dushan Hemantha finished his spell with impressive figures of 3/37, marking his best performance in T20Is.

Mendis and Nissanka continued to score quickly, both achieving fifties in rapid succession. Nissanka's score of over 50 in T20 World Cups reached six, tying him with Tillakaratne Dilshan and trailing only Mahela Jayawardene, who has seven. Mendis closely followed with his fifth fifty in the tournament's history.

The co-hosts faced a setback when a bowling change worked for Australia, as Stoinis dismissed Mendis (51) at deep mid-wicket with a tossed-up delivery. Rathnayake, coming in next, struck the first ball for a four and followed it with a cut past wicketkeeper Inglis.

A pivotal over for Sri Lanka saw Nissanka attack Stoinis, hitting three boundaries and a huge six, accumulating 20 runs from his final over. Stoinis concluded with figures of 2-46, though the damage done in that over shifted momentum in Sri Lanka's favor.

Rathnayake narrowly avoided a stumping chance off Maxwell after hitting him for a boundary, with a missed opportunity from Inglis behind the stumps only resulting in another boundary.

Nissanka delivered a stunning century under great pressure, becoming only the second Sri Lankan opener to score a century in the T20 World Cup. He reached his milestone in just 52 balls, igniting the crowd into cheers as the stadium erupted in appreciation for a truly remarkable innings.

Rathnayake eventually hit the winning runs, as the co-hosts advanced to the Super 8s with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Australia.

Brief scores:

Australia 181 all out in 20 overs (Travis Head 56, Mitchell Marsh 54; Dushan Hemantha 3-37, Dushmantha Chameera 2-33) lost to Sri Lanka 164/2 in 18 overs (Pathum Nissanka 100 not out, Kusal Mendis 51; Marcus Stoinis 2-46) by eight wickets