Scintillating Nissanka ton puts Australia on the brink of elimination

A scintillating hundred from Pathum Nissanka - the first of this T20 World Cup - catapulted Sri Lanka to a big win over Australia in Pallekele on Monday (February 16). The result has sent the co-hosts into the Super Eights with their third straight win, while leaving Australia's fate out of their hands having surrendered twice in as many games now.

Chasing 182 after bowling Australia out, Nissanka made his intentions clear with a pick-up six over fine leg in the very first over. Kusal Perera, drafted into the XI for Kamil Mishara, fell in the next over but it almost went unnoticed amidst Nissanka's mastery as he flayed the Australian bowlers all around the park with eye-catching strokes. Kusal Mendis gave him good company as Sri Lanka raced to 61/1 in the PowerPlay.

Mendis soon matched his partner and even overtook his score, with Australia's spinners guilty of bowling too quick, besides being way off the mark. Both batters swiftly raised their respective half-centuries and the signs were ominous for Australia. Stoinis broke the 97-run partnership but Pavan Rathnayake began with successive boundaries, ensuring that the momentum never dropped.

With 61 runs needed off the last six overs, Nissanka pressed the accelerator further, pulverising Stoinis in a 20-run over as the contest pivoted Sri Lanka's way. Thereafter, it was just a question of when and not if, even as Rathnayake survived two stumping chances - first, a part of his foot was just behind the line before Josh Inglis fluffed a regulation chance immediately after.

The night belonged to Nissanka, however, as he shut the door on Australia with a couple of stunning sixes off Ellis, backing away and slashing the ball over third man before walking across and scooping it over fine leg.

It was a knock where he unleashed his full repertoire of strokes before duly raising his second T20I hundred, sending the Pallekele crowd into rapturous cheers. Rathyanake then finished the job with a boundary as Sri Lanka romped home with two overs to spare.

Earlier in the evening, Mitchell Marsh reunited with Travis Head at the top of the order after Australia were sent into bat. The duo wasted no time in asserting themselves as a 16-run opening over set them off. Sri Lanka were dealt a huge blow as Matheesha Pathirana limped off four deliveries into his opening over with a suspected left hamstring injury. Dasun Shanaka completed the over as Marsh and Head went on a boundary-hitting spree. The duo raised a fifty-plus stand before Marsh smashed Maheesh Theekshana for five consecutive boundaries in the final over of the PowerPlay - a phase in which Australia whipped up 70 runs.

Dushan Hemantha and Dunith Wellalage were next in line to bear the brunt of the Head-Marsh show. Head reached a 27-ball fifty before raising Australia's hundred with a booming slog sweep over wide long on. The moment Hemantha threw one wide of his reach though, the left-hander holed out to long off to bring a 104-run partnership to a close.

At that stage, Australia had their sights set on an imposing score on the board. Instead, things took a nosedive in dramatic fashion.

Cameron Green walked past a Wellalage delivery and was stumped, while Hemantha had Marsh trapped in front after a successful DRS call shortly after the Aussie skipper reached his half-century. Hemantha should have had Josh Inglis off the very next ball, only for Kusal Mendis to make a mess of a straightforward stumping opportunity. Sri Lanka's spinners continued to chip away though as Tim David miscued a skier to long off.

These regular wickets corresponded with a dip in the scoring rate, although Glenn Maxwell broke free to put a couple of balls away. Inglis played a decent hand but Pathum Nissanka pulled off a spectacular leaping catch at backward point to dismiss Maxwell, shortly after which Inglis was bounced out by Dushmantha Chameera. Maheesh Theekshana then turned in a masterful two-run 19th over, removing Cooper Connolly while nailing his yorkers at will. Pathirana did not return to the field but his absence was not felt as Chameera sent down a phenomenal final over, which witnessed a stunner from Theekshana at short third and a couple of run outs as Australia were bundled out for 181.

Brief Scores: Australia 181 all out in 20 overs (Travis Head 56, Mitchell Marsh 54, Dushan Hemantha 3-37, Dushmantha Chameera 2-36) lost to Sri Lanka 184/2 in 18 overs (Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51, Marcus Stoinis 2-46) by 8 wickets