Australia are on the brink of being eliminated in the first round of the T20 World Cup after suffering an eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka. The result secured a place for their opponents in England’s Super 8 group.
Australia, the 2021 T20 World Cup champions, need to lose to Ireland on Tuesday and Sri Lanka on Thursday if Zimbabwe, who were knocked down by Pathum Nissanka’s incredible 52-ball 100 at Palekele on Monday night, are to survive in the tournament.
Still, Michelle Marsh’s side need to beat Oman in their final group stage game on Friday and outscore Ireland and Zimbabwe on net run rate to qualify for the Super 8s.
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Australian captain Mitchell Marsh hit eight fours and two sixes in his first half-century since returning from injury.
Marsh (54 off 27), playing his first match of the tournament after recovering from a testicular haemorrhage, shared an opening stand of 104 off 51 balls with Travis Head (56 off 29), but Australia lost their last five wickets for seven runs and were dismissed for 181.
Nissanka (100 no for 52) and Kusal Mendis (51 for 38) then took a second-wicket partnership of 66 to 97, with the former kicking on alongside Pavan Rathnayake (28 no for 15).
Sri Lanka took home 12 balls to spare with three wins from three matches and are likely to qualify for Group 2 of the Super 8s alongside England, New Zealand and Pakistan, but this is not a certainty.
Australia followed up their first win against Ireland with a crushing defeat against Zimbabwe, dropping them to their second consecutive loss in Group B, but will now have to hope for goodwill from other teams.
Marcus Stoinis hit 10 fours and five sixes, including three boundaries, in 20 runs in 15 overs.Nissanka raced for a ton from his 50 in 20 balls, hitting a single to deep midwicket off leg-spinner Adam Zampa to score his second T2000.
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Oh my God! Watch Nissanka’s stunning grab as the Sri Lankan player sends Glenn Maxwell to play in 22 matches for Kandy.
Rathnayake wrapped up the match by smashing Zampa for four one ball later, while Nissanka was named Player of the Match for the match with a superb jumping catch at backward point to remove Australia’s Glenn Maxwell (22 off 15) from the bowling of leg-spinner Dushyant Hemantha (3-27).
Hemantha also played the role of Marsh and Head (catches at pound and long-off respectively) in the home team’s famous victory.
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