T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka seal Super 8 berth with Nissanka masterclass

16 February 2026 10:25 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 4 Bookmark

A A A

Join our WhatsApp Channel

Colombo, Feb 16 (Daily Mirror) - Pathum Nissanka etched his name into the record books on Monday night, smashing the first century of the 2026 T20 World Cup to lead Sri Lanka to a dominant eight-wicket victory over Australia. The win at the Pallekele International Stadium not only secured Sri Lanka’s spot in the Super 8s but also pushed the 2021 champions, Australia, to the brink of a shock possible early exit following their previous defeat to Zimbabwe.

Chasing a competitive target of 182, Sri Lanka’s pursuit was anchored by a masterclass from Nissanka. After losing Kusal Perera early to Marcus Stoinis, Nissanka found a steady partner in Kusal Mendis. Together, the pair dismantled the Australian bowling attack with a clinical 97-run partnership. While Mendis fell shortly after reaching his own half-century (51), Nissanka remained immovable, combining aggressive boundary-hitting with savvy strike rotation to keep the required rate well under control.

Nissanka reached his milestone in the 18th over, nudging a single off Adam Zampa to bring the Pallekele crowd to its feet. His unbeaten 101 was a blend of sheer power and precision, featuring a flurry of sixes against the likes of Nathan Ellis and Cooper Connolly. By the time Pavan Rathnayake struck the winning runs with two overs to spare, Nissanka had not only secured the match but also became the second Sri Lankan to cross the 2,500-run mark in T20I cricket.

Earlier in the evening, Australia had appeared to be in total control. Returning captain Mitchell Marsh (54) and Travis Head (56) raced to a 104-run opening stand within just nine overs, punishing the Sri Lankan seamers. However, the introduction of Dushan Hemantha turned the tide. The leg-spinner’s three-wicket haul sparked a dramatic collapse, as Australia plummeted from a position of strength to 181 all out in exactly 20 overs. Nissanka himself contributed in the field with a spectacular "blinder" of a catch to dismiss Glenn Maxwell, capping off a perfect individual performance.

Comments - 4

Asoka Seneviratne Tuesday, 17 February 2026 05:41 AM

The very time I watched Nissanka play, I realized that this young man is gifted with bat. Everytime he fell short, I told my friends that he was the best we have now, barring Mendis. So proud is the supernatural who comes from humble beginnings!

25 21

Peter Perera Tuesday, 17 February 2026 08:10 AM

This is a reflection of the AKD government not politicizing sports and with no interference letting the players and officials express themselves

8 35

Nimal Tuesday, 17 February 2026 08:46 AM

Congrats to SL. When Aus lost to Zim, you all know that Aus have send useless T20 team. No point that they play BBL.

23 2

Ram P Tuesday, 17 February 2026 11:00 AM

We have not sealed our position yet. If we lose the next two matches and if Australia wins their last match we will be out. So we cannot celebrate yet

0 3

222

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.