Monday 16 February 2026 will go down as a Red Letter Day in the annals of Sri Lanka’s cricketing history as Lankans chased down a record target to beat Australia in Pallekele by 8 wickets to book their spot in the Super 8 Round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Pathum Nissanka stole the show as the hero with ice running through his veins, he led the team with a mesmerising display of batting to become the top individual run-scorer of the tourney and the second Lankan after Mahela Jayewardene to score a T20 World Cup Century. 

Sri Lanka successfully chased a target of 180+ for the first in a world cup making it only their second win against Australia in T20 WC’s. The match also became the first non-India match to get 100 million+ viewership in this world cup.

Winning the toss Dasun Shanaka the man leading the home side elected to field first putting the visitors to take the first lease of the wicket. A superlative batting display was on offer for everyone present at the hill capital stadium with Australian skipper Mitchell March and Travis Head pairing up to put on a show to remember as they piled up a century stand for the opening wicket. Head top scored with 59 closely followed by Marsh’s excellent 54. Josh Inglis and Glen Maxwell had a good middle order partnership which put the Aussies in a respectable position at the end. Maxwell’s wicket fell when Pathum Nissanka caught a superman style catch, arguably one of the best the world has ever seen. After a great start and a brilliant mid-inning moment, the baggy greens however fell like a pack of cards in the latter stages of play as their last five batters were sent back to the pavilion within a span of minutes as they fell prey in a matter of 7-runs. 

Dushan Hemantha gained maximum advantage from his inclusion to the team after replacing Hasaranga and gained his career best of 3/37

Chasing their highest ever target in history, Sri Lanka faced a massive blow very early when Kusal Perera fell for just 1-run. Then came a mature partnership which anchored the co-hosts with the Mendis-Nissanka duo piling 97 runs for the 2nd wicket. In the process Kusal Mendis scored his 3rd straight fifty in the tournament and is currently the highest run-scorer in the world cup with 168 runs.

Then came Nissanka-Rathnayake stand for an unbeaten 79 runs for the 3rd wicket which terrorised lads from the land down under. In the last three overs SL had a brilliant run-rate of around 15-16 runs per over. Nissanka was cool as a cucumber focused like a lion chasing the prey and scored the fourth fastest 100 in T20 World Cups. 

Brief scores

Australia 181 (20): Travis Head 59, Mitchell March 54, Josh INglis 27, Dushan Hemantha 3/37, Dushmantha Chameera 2/36

Sri Lanka 184/2 (18): Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51, Pavan Rathnayake 28*, Marcus Stoinis 2/46

Result: Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets (with 12 balls remaining)