Australia lose to Sri Lanka by eight wickets, staring at T20 World Cup exit

Australia lose to Sri Lanka by eight wickets, staring at T20 World Cup exitNissanka’s unbeaten century batters former cricket champions Australia, who now need other results to go their way to survive.Published On 16 Feb 2026Sri Lanka’s opener Pathum Nissanka scored the first century of the T20 World Cup to put his side into the Super Eights of the cricket tournament and leave Australia on the brink of elimination.Nissanka scored 100 not out off 52 balls with five sixes and 10 fours as Sri Lanka, chasing Australia’s 181, reached 184-2 with two overs to spare in Kandy to win by eight wickets on Monday.“We’re in the lap of the gods now, I think,” Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said after the match.“Lot of emotions in the room right now,” he said of the 2021 champions. “Haven’t been at our best. Disappointed bunch at the moment.”Nissanka was involved in a 97-run stand off 66 balls with Kusal Mendis for the second wicket, with the wicketkeeper-batsman posting his third fifty in the competition.Nissanka became the first Sri Lankan to score two hundreds in T20 internationals.After Mendis’s dismissal, Nissanka and Pavan Rathnayake put on 76 off 34 balls to see Sri Lanka to victory.Nissanka played some glorious cover drives off the spinners and played some elegant flicks against the quicks.Rathnayake hit the winning runs straight after Nissanka reached his century off 52 balls and was greeted by massive cheers in Pallekele International Stadium.The packed crowd roared again one delivery later when Rathnayake finished the match with a boundary to deep square.Sri Lanka came into the World Cup after a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of England, but have gained momentum and have won all three games so far.Australia’s campaign has been plagued by injuries.