Pallekele, Sri Lanka – Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign teeters on the brink of collapse following an eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka on . The loss, marked by a dramatic batting collapse after a promising start, leaves the Australians facing a near-impossible path to the Super 8 stage.
Returning captain Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head initially set a blistering pace, combining for a century opening partnership at better than two runs per ball. However, after Head’s dismissal, the Australian innings imploded, losing ten wickets for just 77 runs in 69 balls. Despite setting Sri Lanka a target of 182, it proved insufficient against a determined home side.
Pathum Nissanka anchored the Sri Lankan chase with a brilliant unbeaten 100 off 52 balls, guiding his team to victory with two overs to spare. Kusal Mendis provided crucial support, contributing 51 runs off 38 balls in a 97-run partnership with Nissanka. The result secures Sri Lanka’s place in the Super 8s, while plunging Australia into a desperate situation.
Australia’s fate now rests on a complex series of results. They require Zimbabwe to lose both of their remaining matches against Ireland and Sri Lanka. Even then, a victory over Oman on is essential, and they would still need to surpass Zimbabwe on net run-rate to qualify.
The Australian innings was a tale of two halves. Marsh, playing his first match of the tournament after recovering from a testicular injury, and Head dominated the early overs. Marsh showcased his power-hitting with eight fours and a six, while Head rediscovered his form, reaching his half-century in 27 balls with seven fours and three sixes. At the end of the six-over powerplay, Australia were comfortably positioned at 0-70.
However, the introduction of spin dramatically shifted the momentum. Head’s dismissal, caught on the boundary, triggered a collapse. Marsh followed soon after, adjudged lbw on review for a 27-ball 54. The middle order faltered, with Green quickly stumped after being brought in to replace Head. Concerns about Green’s selection will likely intensify given his previous scores of 21, 0, and 3 in the competition, especially with Steve Smith available and Matt Renshaw in good form.
Tim David (6) also fell to a catch in the deep, and Josh Inglis, who was fortunate to survive a stumping chance on his first ball, eventually departed after Glenn Maxwell (22) was brilliantly caught by Nissanka while attempting a reverse sweep. The final five wickets fell for just seven runs in 12 balls, a stunning collapse that handed the initiative to Sri Lanka.
Despite the challenging target, Sri Lanka made a confident start. Australia briefly struck back when Marcus Stoinis had Kusal Perera caught at deep point. However, Nissanka and Mendis quickly established control, adding 97 runs in 66 balls. Stoinis eventually broke the partnership, dismissing Mendis for 51 off 38 balls, caught by Connolly at deep mid-wicket.
But that was the only success Australia would enjoy. Pavan Rathnayake, the new batter, immediately signaled his intent, hitting his first two balls for four. Stoinis’s next over yielded 20 runs, bringing the target down to 41 off five overs. Sri Lanka cruised to victory, taking 10, 18, and 15 runs off the remaining overs, with Nissanka reaching his century off the penultimate delivery.
The absence of key bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc was keenly felt by Australia, as their attack lacked the bite needed to contain the Sri Lankan batsmen. The slowing pitch, initially expected to favor the bowlers, ultimately played into Sri Lanka’s hands, allowing Nissanka and Mendis to build a comfortable platform and accelerate the scoring rate.
Australia’s World Cup hopes now hang by a thread, dependent on results outside their control and a significant improvement in their own performance. The team faces a daunting task to salvage their campaign and avoid a humiliating early exit from the tournament.
