Sri Lanka Crush Australia as Nissanka Smashes Record Century

 Australia’s top order looked invincible as Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh posted a massive 104-run opening stand. Head reached 50 in just 27 balls, while Marsh dominated the crease before disaster struck. Once the openers departed, the Australian middle order suffered a humiliating collapse, tumbling from a position of power to being bowled out for 181. A commentator noted:“Australia completely lost their way after the explosive start from Travis Head.”

Nissanka Destroys Aussie Bowling

Sri Lanka’s chase was nothing short of a masterclass led by Pathum Nissanka. The opener blasted a sensational 100* off just 52 balls, becoming the first Sri Lankan to hit a century in this T20 World Cup edition. He hammered 70 runs in boundaries alone, leaving the Australian bowlers searching for answers. One analyst remarked:“Nissanka played the innings of a lifetime to dismantle a world-class attack.”

Mendis Makes History Today

Supporting Nissanka, Kusal Mendis played a pivotal role with a quickfire 51 off 38 balls. During his innings, Mendis officially surpassed Dasun Shanaka to become Sri Lanka’s leading six-hitter in T20I history with 97 maximums. His aggressive approach set the tone early in the innings, allowing Pavan Rathnayake to finish things off comfortably. Sri Lanka cruised to 184/2 with two overs to spare in front of a roaring home crowd.

Australia Near World Cup Exit

This defeat has left Australia’s Super Eight qualification hopes hanging by a thread. Despite an aggregate of 365 runs between the two sides, the highest in their T20 World Cup history, Marcus Stoinis and the rest of the bowling unit proved toothless. The Aussie camp reportedly expressed frustration over the sudden batting failure. Now, the former champions must win their remaining games to avoid a shocking early departure from the tournament.