Friday Feb 20, 2026
Friday Feb 20, 2026
Wednesday, 18 February 2026 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Glenn Maxwell congratulates Pathum Nissanka (second from right) after Sri Lanka had beaten Australia by 8 wickets in their T20 World Cup match at Pallekele
PALLEKELE: Australian captain Mitch Marsh whilst accepting the fact that his team was outplayed by Sri Lanka heaped praise on opener Pathum Nissanka for his match-winning hundred that saw the co-hosts win by eight wickets at Pallekele and seal their place in the T20 World Cup Super Eights.
Australia were poised to hit up a total beyond 200 when openers Marsh and Travis Head laid into the Lankan bowling sharing an opening stand of 104 off 51 balls. Australia raced to 160-4 in 16 overs before the innings fell apart and they lost the remaining six wickets for only 21 runs.
“That full strength batting line up has got some of the best players of spin in Australia. So it was probably more just execution tonight,” said Marsh at the post-match media conference. “I thought Sri Lanka pulled it back beautifully. We were a few short after the start. We probably knew that going into the second innings, but we had great belief that we'd get the job done, but we were outplayed.”
With regard to Nissanka’s century, Marsh said, “I thought Nissanka just played brilliantly and took our situation and our team out of it. You take your hat off to someone when they score 100 off 50 balls in a World Cup match in a tight run chase at this stage of our group. I take my hat off to him. It was an incredible innings. We didn't have many answers for him tonight.”
Player of the Match Nissanka said that he came to the T20 World Cup with a target in mind of scoring a hundred and that he was able to do it made him happy.
“Australia weren’t able to bowl well to us because of the way Kusal (Mendis) and I batted,” said Nissanka. “After we lost the first wicket, Kusal and I just planned to have a good power play. He got a good start and that made things easier for me. We thought that there would be some dew, so the plan was to bat normally for 12 overs. Kusal batted really well. After 12 overs we were going to take stock and one of us would make the charge.”
Of all the wide range of shots he displayed during his 52-ball knock, Nissanka said that playing the reverse sweep against the left-arm spinner (Cooper Connolly) was the one he enjoyed most.
Prior to his accomplishment with the bat Nissanka looked a distraught man after spilling an easy catch offered by Glenn Maxwell.
“After the first catch went down, I was disappointed because I knew we had to get his wicket. I made up my mind at that moment that I needed to do something special for the team,” said Nissanka. “I thought he might play a reverse sweep at that moment and I was watching for it in the field. Fortunately, I was able to complete the catch.”
Nissanka pulled off a spectacular catch airborne to send back Maxwell and continue the disintegration of the Australian innings. It was probably the turning point of the match for Maxwell was one player who is capable of taking the game completely away from Sri Lanka had he managed to survive.
