T20 World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka opts to bowl against Australia

Skipper Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head blazed away to explosive fifties earlier than Sri Lanka rallied to bowl out Australia for 181 of their T20 World Cup match in Pallekele on Monday (February 16, 2026).

Coming again into the taking part in XI after lacking the group’s first two matches of the event attributable to an damage, Marsh acquired into the act straightaway, clobbering 54 in 27 balls.

Head was equally brutal throughout his 29-ball 56, because the opening duo added 104 runs in lower than 9 overs to set Australia up for a 200-plus whole.

However the Sri Lankans did significantly better within the again 10, with leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha (3/37 in 4 overs) rising as essentially the most profitable bowler for the house group. The final 4 wickets fell for less than six runs.

The transfer to discipline first backfired on the Sri Lankans as Australia acquired off to a rollicking begin with Marsh and Head marking their reunion with a flurry of fours and sixes.

Following their 23-run defeat to Zimbabwe, Australia started the sport in earnest, gathering as many as 16 runs within the very first over by Dushmantha Chameera.

Marsh began his innings in nice fashion as he punched one superbly off the again foot via the off-side.

Head clipped a Chameera half-volley off his pads to get off the mark with a 4 earlier than Marsh pulled the pacer for a six over midwicket.

Head acquired two fours in opposition to Maheesh Theekshana to keep up the momentum..

If the early onslaught by Head and Marsh was not sufficient, Sri Lanka suffered a large blow within the third over when Matheesha Pathirana, the 23-year-old slinger, hobbled off the sector after struggling a hamstring damage, leaving Dasun Shanaka to finish the over.

Shanaka was whacked via level for a boundary by Head in his first ball, after which the left-handed power-hitter clobbered the bowler over deep sq. leg and into the stands for an enormous most.

Marsh smashed Maheesh Theekshana for 5 successive boundaries as Australia raced to 70 for no loss within the energy play.

Hoping to arrest the free movement of runs, skipper Shanaka launched leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha into the assault, and Head welcomed him with a six and a 4, and within the subsequent over, Marsh plonked left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage for a 4 and a most.

Marsh introduced Australia’s hundred with a six off Hemantha.

Nevertheless, Australia misplaced a cluster of wickets thereafter and from 104 for no loss, they slipped to 130 for 4 and by no means recovered from that.

Glenn Maxwell made 22 of 15 balls earlier than a leaping Pathum Nissanka made amends for an earlier drop catch by pulling off a diving stunner at level. Inglis, who acquired a life even earlier than he opened his account, contributed a 22-ball 27 however Australians ended effectively wanting what was an anticipated whole on the midway stage.

Scoreboard

Australia innings: Mitchell Marsh lbw b Hemantha 54 Travis Head c PHKD Mendis b Hemantha 56 Cameron Inexperienced st BKG Mendis b Wellalage 3 Tim David c Hemantha b PHKD Mendis 6 Josh Inglis c Wellalage b Chameera 27 Glenn Maxwell c Nissanka b Hemantha 22 Marcus Stoinis c Theekshana b Chameera 4 Cooper Connolly c Perera b Theekshana 3 Xavier Bartlett run out (BKG Mendis) 0 Nathan Ellis not out 0 Adam Zampa run out (PHKD Mendis/BKG Mendis) 1 Extras: (NB-1, W-4) 5

Complete: (All out in 20 overs) 181

Fall of wickets: 1-104, 2-110, 3-116, 4-130, 5-160, 6-174, 7-177, 8-180, 9-180, 10-181

Sri Lanka bowling: Dushmantha Chameera 4-0-36-2, Maheesh Theekshana 4-0-37-1, Matheesha Pathirana 0.4-0-3-0, Dasun Shanaka 1.2-0-16-0, Dushan Hemantha 4-0-37-3, Dunith Wellalage 4-0-33-1, Kamindu Mendis 2-0-19-1.