T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka fly into Super 8s riding on Nissanka wings

Sri Lanka had never chased 180 in a T20I at home. To-night, under the lights at Pallekele, Pathum Nissanka re-wrote history in spectacular fashion. The opener scripted a match-winning century, scoring 100* off 52 balls, a memorable knock laced with 10 fours and five sixes.Nissanka played a tour-de-force of an innings, ruthless yet measured. Every boundary split fields, every six cleared the ropes with authority and every calculated strike kept Lanka’s chase of 182 runs firmly on course.

The World Cup co-hosts gunned down the target with eight wickets in hand and two overs to spare in front of a packed crowd. Nissan-ka’s century was a declaration of intent that will live long in memory of Sri Lankan cricket fans.With this landmark victory, Sri Lanka secured a spot in the Super 8s while Australia now teeter on the brink of elimination. Nissanka was expertly sup-ported by Kusal Mendis, with the pair putting on a 97-run second-wicket stand, and by Pavan Rathnayake, whose sensational 15-ball unbeaten 28 helped finish the chase in style.At 121/2 after 14 overs, Sri Lan-ka’s chase was on a knife edge. But Nissanka took matters into his own hands and scored 20 runs in the 15th over from Marcus Stoinis, which proved to be the turning point in the chase.

Smarting from their shock loss to Zimbabwe in the previous game, Australia, put in to bat after Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field, galloped to a wonderful start, scoring 70 off the first six overs.Travis Head blazed to a 29-ball 56 (7x4, 3x6), while captain Mitch-ell Marsh, back in charg e, matched Head shot for shot. He was particularly brutal against Sri Lanka’s spinner Maheesh Theekshana. At 110/2 in 10 overs, it felt like one-way traffic.Then came the twist. Matheesha Pathirana hobbled out with a hamstring strain and Sri Lanka could have folded. Instead, they roared. The field spread, the tempo shifted, and spin tightened the screws.Dushan Hemantha ripped through the middle with a three-wicket burst, backed by the relent-less control of Wanindu Hasaranga. Dushmantha Chameera was exceptional at the death, finishing with 2/36.OZ ON THE BRINK...Australia need to...1. Beat Oman keeping NRR in mind. 2. Hope Zimbabwe lose to both Ireland and Lanka. If both come to pass, the Aussies will qualify for Super 8s on better NRR.