Match Overview
The highly anticipated clash in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025/26 saw the Sri Lanka national cricket team face off against the Australia national cricket team in the 30th Match of Group B. If you are looking for the detailed sri lanka national cricket team vs australia national cricket team match scorecard, you have come to the right place. Played on February 16, 2026, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, this T20I cricket match turned out to be an absolute thriller for the fans watching around the globe. The pitch offered a good contest between bat and ball, but the dew factor in the second innings certainly aided the chasing team.
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that paid off handsomely. Australia posted a competitive total, but Sri Lanka’s batting lineup chased it down in spectacular fashion. Ultimately, Sri Lanka won the match by 8 wickets with 12 balls remaining. The Player of the Match was Pathum Nissanka, whose breathtaking century anchored the chase and secured a vital victory in the series.
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Australia Batting
Australia won the toss but was asked to bat first. They got off to a flying start, but a middle-order collapse restricted them to a below-par total. Here is the complete batting scorecard for the Australian innings.
| 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 | (lb 0, nb 1, w 4) | 5 | ||||
| Total | 181/10 | 20.0 |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Australia Bowling
When Sri Lanka came out to chase the target of 182 runs, the Australian bowlers struggled to contain the aggressive batting. Here are the bowling figures for the Australian bowlers during the Sri Lanka innings.
| 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: Sri Lanka Batting
Chasing a daunting target, Sri Lanka’s top order delivered a masterclass in T20 batting. They kept the required run rate in check and crossed the finish line with absolute dominance.
| 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 | (w 4) | 4 | ||||
| Total | 184/2 | 18.0 |
Did not bat: Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Kamindu Mendis.
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Sri Lanka Bowling
The Sri Lankan bowling attack was the unsung hero of the first innings. They restricted Australia’s heavy hitters and took crucial wickets at regular intervals.
| 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 |
Key Highlights & Match Analysis
The cricket match between these two heavyweights was filled with thrilling moments. The top batting performance undoubtedly belonged to Pathum Nissanka. His unbeaten century (100 runs off just 52 balls) was a thing of beauty, featuring 10 boundaries and 6 massive sixes. He was brilliantly supported by Kusal Mendis, who played a crucial knock of 51 runs off 38 balls, ensuring the innings never lost momentum. Pavan Rathnayake also chipped in with a quickfire 28 runs at the end to finish the game in style.
On the bowling front, Dushan Hemantha was the star for Sri Lanka. He picked up 3 wickets for 37 runs, breaking crucial partnerships at vital moments. His dismissal of the dangerous Travis Head and the pivotal lbw to Mitchell Marsh shifted the game entirely in Sri Lanka’s favor. Dushmantha Chameera also deserves a special mention for his early breakthroughs and his tight economy rate of 9.00 in the death overs. For Australia, Marcus Stoinis was the most successful bowler, claiming 2 wickets, but the rest of the attack leaked too many runs and failed to defend the total.
The turning point of the match occurred in the 16th over of the Australian innings when Dushan Hemantha dismissed Glenn Maxwell. But even before that, Pathum Nissanka pulled off a sensational, horizontal catch at backward point to dismiss Maxwell, which completely deflated the Australian dressing room. This spectacular effort broke Australia’s backbone and restricted them to a defendable total.
This match also saw several records being broken and milestones achieved. By scoring a brilliant century, Pathum Nissanka emulated Sri Lankan legends Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, joining an elite list of players to score a T20I hundred against Australia. Furthermore, Sri Lanka’s chase of 182 is their highest successful run chase in a Men’s T20I at home, bettering their previous record. It also stands as the highest target any team has successfully chased down against Australia in the history of the T20 World Cup, making it a truly historic night for Sri Lankan cricket.
Head-to-Head Record
Here is the overall T20 International head-to-head record between the two teams leading up to this match:
| Format | Matches | Australia Wins | Sri Lanka Wins | Tied / No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20Is | 27 | 16 | 11 | 0 |
FAQ Section
Q: Who won the match? A: Sri Lanka won the match against Australia by 8 wickets with 12 balls remaining in the T20 World Cup.
Q: Who was Player of the Match? A: Pathum Nissanka was awarded the Player of the Match for his match-winning, unbeaten century (100 runs off 52 balls).
Q: What was the match result? A: Australia batted first and scored 181/10 in 20 overs. Sri Lanka chased down the target of 182 runs, scoring 184/2 in 18 overs to win by 8 wickets.
Q: When and where was the match played? A: The match was played on February 16, 2026, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Q: What is the current series score? A: This match was part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025/26 group stage, so there is no bilateral series score.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the sri lanka national cricket team vs australia national cricket team match scorecard reflects a dominant performance by the home side. Powered by a historic century from Pathum Nissanka and supported by disciplined bowling, Sri Lanka secured a comprehensive 8-wicket victory. This win not only boosted their net run rate but also sent a strong message to the rest of the tournament. Sri Lanka will look to carry this winning momentum into their Super Eight fixtures, while Australia will need to regroup quickly to keep their T20 World Cup campaign alive. Stay tuned for more cricket match updates and scorecards!