Match Overview
Welcome to the detailed Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard for the 30th Match, Group B of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025/26. This thrilling T20I cricket match took place on February 16, 2026, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that proved to be highly impactful as the pitch offered good batting conditions under lights.
Australia batted first and posted a competitive total, but the chasing team completely dominated the innings. Ultimately, Sri Lanka won the match by 8 wickets, chasing down the target with two overs to spare. The Player of the Match award was given to the spectacular Pathum Nissanka for his match-winning century. This victory was crucial for Sri Lanka’s campaign in the series, helping them advance to the Super Eights stage of the tournament with a massive boost in net run rate.
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Australia Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Marsh (c) | lbw b Hemantha | 54 | 27 | 8 | 2 | 200.00 |
| Travis Head | c PHKD Mendis b Hemantha | 56 | 29 | 7 | 3 | 193.10 |
| Cameron Green | st †BKG Mendis b Wellalage | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 42.85 |
| Tim David | c Hemantha b PHKD Mendis | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Josh Inglis † | c Wellalage b Chameera | 27 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 122.72 |
| Glenn Maxwell | c Nissanka b Hemantha | 22 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 146.66 |
| Marcus Stoinis | c Theekshana b Chameera | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 |
| Cooper Connolly | c Perera b Theekshana | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Xavier Bartlett | run out (†BKG Mendis) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nathan Ellis | not out | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Adam Zampa | run out (PHKD Mendis/†BKG Mendis) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | 5 | |||||
| Total | 181/10 | 20.0 |
Sri Lanka Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dushmantha Chameera | 4 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 9.00 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4 | 0 | 37 | 1 | 9.25 |
| Matheesha Pathirana | 0.4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4.50 |
| Dasun Shanaka | 1.2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 12.00 |
| Dushan Hemantha | 4 | 0 | 37 | 3 | 9.25 |
| Dunith Wellalage | 4 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 8.25 |
| Kamindu Mendis | 2 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 9.50 |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Sri Lanka Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | not out | 100 | 52 | 10 | 5 | 192.30 |
| Kusal Perera | c Ellis b Stoinis | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Kusal Mendis † | c Connolly b Stoinis | 51 | 38 | 6 | 1 | 134.21 |
| Pavan Rathnayake | not out | 28 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 186.66 |
| Extras | 4 | |||||
| Total | 184/2 | 18.0 |
Australia Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Bartlett | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Marcus Stoinis | 4 | 0 | 46 | 2 | 11.50 |
| Nathan Ellis | 3 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 10.66 |
| Cooper Connolly | 3 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Adam Zampa | 4 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 10.25 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 8.00 |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Key Highlights & Match Analysis
The Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard reflects a game of two distinct halves, showcasing both explosive batting and strategic bowling. Australia’s innings began with a flying start thanks to a blistering opening partnership between Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. Head smashed 56 runs off just 29 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes, while Marsh contributed a rapid 54 off 27 balls. Their aggressive approach put the Sri Lankan bowlers under early pressure.
However, the turning point of the match came in the middle overs when Dushan Hemantha triggered a dramatic collapse. Hemantha finished with brilliant figures of 3/37, dismantling the Australian middle order and restricting them to 181 runs. Dushmantha Chameera also chipped in with crucial breakthroughs at the death, taking 2 wickets for 36 runs.
In response, Sri Lanka’s batting lineup showcased immense power and composure. Pathum Nissanka was the star of the show, playing a match-winning knock that will be remembered in T20 World Cup history. He scored a magnificent unbeaten 100 off 52 balls, hitting 10 fours and 5 sixes at a strike rate of 192.30. His ability to rotate the strike and find the boundary at will completely took the game away from the Australian bowlers. Kusal Mendis also played a vital supporting role, scoring a well-crafted 51 runs off 38 balls, providing the perfect platform. Pavan Rathnayake finished the game in style with a quickfire 28 off just 15 balls, ensuring the hosts crossed the finish line comfortably.
From a bowling perspective, Marcus Stoinis was the pick of the Australian bowlers, taking 2 wickets for 46 runs, but his efforts were in vain as the Sri Lankan batters dominated the bowling attack. Adam Zampa and Cooper Connolly were heavily punished, conceding 41 and 27 runs respectively without taking a wicket. This match will be remembered for Nissanka’s milestone T20I century, which not only secured the runs but also broke the back of the Australian bowling unit. The clinical bowling in the death overs by Chameera and Hemantha ensured that the total remained chaseable, setting up a memorable night in Kandy and a massive statement of intent for Sri Lanka in the tournament.
Head-to-Head Record
| Format | Matches | Sri Lanka Wins | Australia Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 28 | 12 | 16 | 0 |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: FAQ Section
Q: Who won the match? A: Sri Lanka won the match against Australia by 8 wickets in the 30th Match, Group B of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025/26.
Q: Who was Player of the Match? A: Pathum Nissanka was named the Player of the Match for his outstanding unbeaten century, scoring exactly 100 runs off just 52 balls.
Q: What was the match result? A: Australia scored 181 runs in their 20 overs, and Sri Lanka successfully chased down the target, finishing at 184/2 in 18 overs to win by 8 wickets.
Q: When and where was the match played? A: The match was played on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Q: What is the current series score? A: As this was a standalone group-stage match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, there is no bilateral series score, but the win helped Sri Lanka advance to the Super Eights of the tournament.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this comprehensive Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard highlights a highly dominant performance by the home side in the T20 World Cup. Australia showed great intent with the bat in the powerplay but fell short due to a dramatic middle-order collapse against quality spin and pace. Sri Lanka’s clinical bowling in the first innings and Pathum Nissanka’s historic century sealed a comprehensive 8-wicket victory with overs to spare. Following this massive win, Sri Lanka advanced to the Super Eights stage of the tournament, carrying immense momentum and confidence into their next matches. Cricket fans will surely remember this high-scoring thriller at Pallekele as one of the standout games of the tournament.